'Your Blood, My Bones' was a skin crawling fantasy standalone, akin to Krystal Sutherlands 'House of Hollow', full of eldritch horrors and near-shakespearean levels of tragedy. It was right up my alley, the ending made me cry and I loved it.

The horror aspects of the plot and world building were done so well, I had goosebumps the entire time and I couldn't quite shake the feeling of something watching me from the corner of my room.

The character arcs of the three main characters felt complete by the end. I appreciated the way that the characters didn't get a traditional happily ever after with everything wrapped up and topped with a pretty bow. It almost made peace in the tragedy of what had occurred, not trying to give the reader false promises of future happiness or immediate emotional resolution.

The combination of plot and character working in tandem to keep the book moving meant that I, as the reader, remained engaged even when the action got slower.

I can't wait to rave about this book when it comes out and to recommend it to everyone I come into contact with. 4.25 stars.

synopsis:
Wyatt Westlock has one plan for the family farmhouse she's just inherited; to burn it to the ground. As she carries out her plan, she makes a shocking discovery in the basement. Peter, her childhood best friend, strung up in chains. Wyatt finds out Peter isn't all he seemed to be. He has suffered hundreds of ritualistic deaths, he never remains dead for long, but he can't really live either. Peter is bound to the farm, locked in a cycle of awful 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.

The spells protecting the property have begun to unravel, and dark, ancient forces gather in the forest. The only way for Wyatt to repair the wards to keep the darkness out is to work with Peter, the boy who has sworn an oath to kill her. He seems to be the only person who knows how to harness her volatile magic. When the past turns up to haunt them in the most unexpected way, they are forced to rely on one another to survive, or tear each other apart.

review:
I have no idea how to describe this book??? I've been thinking about it nonstop for days. This was far more emotional than I was expecting. My heart literally hurt. I knew how it would end, anticipated it till it happened, but it did not hurt any less. In terms of showcasing friendship, love, betrayal, anger and grief this was written perfectly. You felt almost every emotion written out on these pages, like you were right there with them.

Elements of sci-fi, fantasy, magic and romance all come together for a brilliant slow burn horrormance. The world building was beautifully executed, you could picture it all there in your mind. The gory parts as well. The plot was certainly interesting, not like any book I've read before. There was so much to it, I often found it confusing at times. Wondering if I had missed something or if I hadn't read between the lines. Although it was a lot for my brain to handle, I couldn't put it down. I had to know what it all meant and how it all ends.

You wouldn't believe the friendship trio started because it was forced. I felt the three of them really showcased their love for one another. How they would go to the ends of the earth for each other. Peter has taken up the biggest soft spot in my heart. He was stunningly heartbreaking to read about. Being able to read from his point of view as well as Wyatt's was a treat, I'm glad the writer decided to make this a dual POV.

Thank you to net galley and Orion publishing for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.

‘Summers in Lake Como would have been quieter.’
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James was definitely in on a secret when he said that.
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How do I keep this review spoiler-free when it left me so HEARTBROKEN? Kelly Andrew’s writing style is hauntingly beautiful, creating this incredible gothic atmosphere - you can practically feel the weather shifting, the earth shattering beneath your feet, and empathise with every character’s emotional journey. It’s one of those books that leaves a mark on you, drawing you back to Willow Heath again and again. There’s a cult full of men with mad ambitions, a painful love storyline, and lots of secrets lurking in the shadows.
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‘He withdrew his hand, flexing out his fingers as if it hurt him to touch her. She hoped it did. She hoped it shattered him the way it shattered her. ‘

I finished Your Blood, My Bones that I had spotted in the 2024 hot releases; the synopsis appealed to me, the atmosphere seemed great, and I was not disappointed with the journey!

Following her father's death, Wyatt inherits the family farm, but she only wants one thing: to burn it down. As she goes there to make the house disappear, she discovers Peter, a childhood friend chained in the basement. From that moment on, Wyatt finds herself trapped in the house with Peter, who only wants one thing: to kill her to free himself from his condition.

❤️ What I loved
• The universe is genuinely creepy; we are in 'cottagecore horror,' and the magic at play is dark. This dying farm is surrounded by dangers, each more terrifying than the last.
• The writing is phenomenal; you cling to every sentence. The ability to immerse us in this atmosphere succeeds in making us uncomfortable, giving us goosebumps, and the conveyed emotions are felt tenfold.
• The plot, although in a 'horror' universe, is beautiful. It's a story of love and friendship, with elements revealing themselves as we progress. It was addictive, and the ending will likely leave your heart shattered (I cried a lot).
• The characters are touching, their emotions poignant. We have three friends who seem to know each other but, in the end, not at all. Peter is too moving in his quest to return home; Wyatt's nostalgia for her childhood and moments with her friends is touching. Each of them has a kind of quest to transition to adulthood and mourn their childhood and shared moments.
• The friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance is lovely. There are difficult moments for our protagonists, but their story is beautiful and, of course, filled with love despite trials and revelations.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this magnificent book in advance! It's coming out early April, and I can only recommend it to you!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.
I loved Andrew's previous book The Whispering Dark, so I was so excited for her next book no matter what the plot. She has a way of writing dark themes in a really beautiful way, not unlike Ava Reid and yet Andrew's books seem to be flying under the radar.

This was a fascinating, claustrophobic plot set in a farm and the surrounding woods, with our main character fighting to understand the secret cult her father was involved with and the boy from her childhood who just so happens to be chained up in her old home's basement for some reason.

I cried, I laughed and I gasped when the characters of The Whispering Dark popped up to help or main character with her occult dilemma. This is a book that will break you, but in a delicious way.

I absolutely loved this book and it was a highly anticipated read for me. I couldn’t put it down from beginning to end, the story flowed so well.

I’m beyond gutted about the ending, maybe a second book might come where the trio lives on again.

Pedyr/Peter had the toughest life if you can call it that and its truly devastating what he suffered for power and the ego of man. Wyatt was naive but kind and Peter felt like her little lost boy returned to be hers once again. James was a confusing character due to the turn of events that occur surrounding him, its hard to place where he fits in until everything is uncovered.

This was fantastic!

Ninth House meets Starling House. Your Blood, My Bones pulled together the best of both books into a brilliant mix. The synopsis alone pulled me in and the novel lived up to my high expectations! It was a terrific atmospheric read full of loveable characters & a thrilling backdrop. Witchcraft, rituals, cryptids & protective goats abound, the pages flew by and Wyatt & Peter were just perfect. I regret we didn't get more time to spend with the main trio!

Thanks to Netgalley & Orion Publishing Group for the arc.

Hard review for me to write because I wanted to love this so bad and I did enjoy it but, sadly, things bothered me.
Here’s what I loved:
-the flashbacks were so good,
-a couple of sentences made me tear up because they were beautifully impactful
-the bond Peter, Wyatt and James share : so wholesome
-the time they spent in the house
-the Lane/Colton/Mackenzie cameo : I miss them
-Slightly, the cat

What I had issues with :
-it should have been one point of view - Wyatt’s - instead of two. I enjoyed Peter’s pov but I'd rather have been in the dark regarding his feelings and motivations. He knew a lost of things Wyatt didn’t and therefore we, as readers, didn’t get to be surprised when they were revealed to her because we already knew from his thoughts and feelings. Also, I expected him to be more singular and mysterious,
-best friends to strangers to lovers is my favorite romantic trope but I think it wasn’t explored enough,
-I wanted to feel the atmosphere but I didn’t get to experience it,
-the ending was very sad but quite rushed in my opinion. Moreover, it felt like this story didn’t happen - which is true - but I mean it for the characters. At the end, I feel like they’ll move on easily even though their lives have been changed forever by the very last events. It ended too soon and I didn’t have time to grieve.

It still is a good book, I just think that the execution wasn’t the best!

I absolutely adored Kelly Andrew’s The Whispering Dark and was lucky enough to receive an exclusive sampler from Gollancz of Your Blood, My Bones and to say I was looking forward to reading the rest was an understatement. Just with The Whispering Dark, Your Blood, My Bones blew me away, quite simply this is one not to miss.

Your Blood, My Bones finds Wyatt Westlock returning to her childhood home, with the intent of burning it to the ground. But on her final walkthrough she finds Peter, her once best friend, chained up in the basement left for dead. Unbeknownst to Wyatt, Peter has suffered hundreds of ritualistic deaths on her families farm. Semi-immortal Peter never stays dead for long, to break this horrid cycle he needs to end the Westlock line, which means killing Wyatt. But as the protective wards around the farm fail Wyatt and Peter are forced to work together to survive, or else they’ll tear each other apart.

I adore Andrew’s writing; she is proving herself an absolute master at creating a stunningly creepy atmosphere. Wyatt’s is a world you get simultaneously transported to and lost within. This is the kind of book that leaves the hairs on your arms raised. The sense of quiet threat and menace is palpable throughout and the story Andrew’s weaves had some brilliant twists and turns.

At the heart of this story is Wyatt and Peter, childhood friends who, along with James, spent their summers together at Wyatt’s family’s farm. Separated for the last 5 years they are more like deadly strangers to one another now, yet despite this is clear just how much they care for one another. Their’s is a beautifully written slow burn romance that left me in genuine tears. The duel POVs worked brilliantly throughout, as did the single POV from James near the end. It was also a real treat to see a Colton and Lane appear within Wyatt’s story.

I cannot recommend this one highly enough and can’t wait to read whatever Andrew writes next.

Kelly Andrew has done it again! I adored The Whispering Dark so I was extremely looking forwards to any of her next books, Your Blood, My Bones is another five star read for me!

I was a little nervous about going into this as I had gotten myself so hyped for it, what if I got let down? Luckily I had no such issues, I really enjoyed the plot of the book, it was interesting and it had me hooked from the start.

The characters were great and ended up with some amazing developments, Peter and Wyatt being our main characters and POV but also James too but only one POV from James.

As before, I am left wanting more from Kelly Andrew's and I'm very much looking forwards to her next book!