Blood, Iron, and Bone by Sera Foxe delivers a richly imagined world and a layered storyline that will appeal to fans of intricate fantasy tales. The narrative weaves six character arcs: a curse blanketing the fae world in darkness and a prophecy of fated mates tasked with restoring the light. While ambitious in scope, this novel requires a focused reader to appreciate its complexity fully.

The third-person omniscient perspective offers a panoramic view of the characters’ lives and motivations, though it can sometimes be disorienting. With six distinct storylines, the transitions between points of view occasionally felt abrupt, pulling me out of the story as I adjusted to the shift. However, the depth and variety of the characters made the effort worthwhile. Aife stood out as a particularly compelling figure, brimming with leading character energy and possessing powers that were nothing short of fascinating, even though her perspective remains untapped.

The pacing leans heavily into world-building and exposition, creating an immersive atmosphere but slowing the overall momentum. The detailed prose gives the story a mythic, almost oral storytelling quality, which may work beautifully as an audiobook. However, the focus on introspection over action might not appeal to readers seeking a fast-paced narrative.

Romance plays a role, as the prophecy hinges on the idea of fated mates, but it doesn’t dominate the story. Instead, the book prioritizes unraveling its mysteries and exploring the connections between the characters and their world.

The standout feature of this book is its intricate world-building. The fae realm is richly detailed, filled with unique lore, magic, and a sense of history that grounds the story. Much thought went into crafting a setting that feels alive and compelling.

For readers who enjoy slow-burn fantasy with multiple perspectives, Blood, Iron, and Bone offers a rewarding experience, though it demands patience and attention to detail. I’m curious how the threads introduced here will evolve in the next installment.

While I wasn’t able to finish this book, I can see why others might enjoy it. I did get halfway through but chose to move on. The premise and worldbuilding had a lot of potential, but I personally found the pacing a bit challenging. At times, the story felt repetitive, and there was a mix of tones—one moment feeling geared toward a younger audience, and the next much older—which made it hard for me to connect. The beginning also introduced a lot of names and information very quickly, which left me a bit lost as the story progressed.

That said, I recognize that this could simply be a case of the book not aligning with my personal reading preferences rather than a reflection of its quality. Because of this, I chose not to rate or review it on Goodreads, as I didn’t want my perspective to influence others who might absolutely adore this story. It’s always a joy to see books find their perfect audience, even if that audience doesn’t include me.

thank you for giving me the opportunity to read the arc for blood iron and bone! unfortunately this book was not for me but nonetheless it was a good story.

Fine! I think could use one more round of heavy editing. The beginning is slow and clunky and the POVs are a bit of a whiplash. However I think there are some really solid foundations to the plot and momentum definitely mounted as the story unravelled. The nuts and bolts of the writing wasn't too bad either. It's fine as is, but definitely feels a little unpolished. I'd say its a low 3, like yeah, good, don't regret reading, but nothing ground breaking or exceptionally well done. Could maybe be a solid 4 with better execution/editing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sera Foxe for this ARC read. I was surprised to find out that Sera Foxe is a pen name for 2 separate authors, Olivia M Jacques and Vilyn DeVine. I think that is why the flow of the story seems to change in some areas. It’s not a bad thing or bluntly noticeable but I did find that the pace changed in some areas. Overall, I enjoyed this ride and I enjoyed the 6 POVs, which I found fresh. And, you can rarely go wrong with a good fated mates storyline. I’ll be interested to read the next edition.

Not the book for me. It seemed like it took forever to get to the point and the different character POV just didn’t seem to flow. I really wanted to like it because it falls right in line with the genre I normally love, but it just felt like it always kept me waiting for more, just not in the good way.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.


This book had immense potential! The captivating plot and overall story made it a must-read. However, the execution fell short for me. The first half was a struggle to finish—it felt repetitive and bogged down with unnecessary details intended to develop a connection with the characters. These details could have been easily omitted. With a smoother flow, this book could have been extraordinary. Regrettably, I’m unlikely to continue with the second installment.

I loved this book! I got really invested in each character and I felt like toward the end of the book every one of their stories came together so well. It made me so happy to read and who doesn't love a happy ending to a book. Atleast for now. Now I need the next one! Also loved the fur baby and need to know what is going on there.

Firstly, thank you to Sera Foxe and NetGalley for the ARC!
I have not read a book like this before and it did take me a while to get in to the style of writing when flipping from different POV for different characters.
Saying that I did love the story from the beginning to the end. It was quite refreshing for me to read a fantasy book, which I didn’t find so predictable.
The writing of the book is done to such a high standard!

Very happy to have come across this author and this book. Can’t wait for the next book in the series! 😊

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

4⭐ The strong world building and complex multi-layered characters make this a great read. The story follows a group of diverse characters, each grappling with their own inner demons while trying to mend a cursed world.

While still a great story, the beginning felt a bit slow and I almost DNF'd before it picked up momentum.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Blood Iron and Bone by Sera Foxe read as a YA romantasy. A fun adventure read with lots of dramatic irony. The opening had me hooked. I appreciated the faults of the characters. It was an intense hook, then steady build to the anticipated conflict, with an abrupt ending. I would have liked a longer first book because the ending was so abrupt. I wanted to continue into the adventures of the world. So, I am looking forward to the second book in the Lightbringers series to find out what happens next.

3.5 ⭐ - Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

👑 fated mates (romance subplot!)
👑 faeries and royals
👑 prophecies and curses

This was super fun! Aurelia is a mortal who feels her life is stagnant and lonely in the mortal world, certain she is destined for more. Her nights are filled with dreams of a boy she loves despite never seeing his true face. Meanwhile, Andar is betrothed to the future High Queen of Áithrim, Lark, but neither of them is satisfied with their arrangement.

The prose was BEAUTIFUL. It was magical, mystical, mysterious, literally all the best "M" words. This was genuinely a joy to read. Though the book is 500+ pages long, and the plot only spans around 2 days, I was pleasantly surprised by the pacing and worldbuilding of this novel. It was engaging and an easy read for its size, and the writing flowed well.

However, because the book only spans 2 days, with over 60% taking place in one night, I wanted more character development. We start the book with a lot of exposition about the characters and past events in their lives, but we don't get to the action until about 20% in. The book is also heavy with insta love—which I preferred for 1 couple over the other—but had great angst, MUTUAL PINING, and platonic bonding. I loved the characters individually too! I just felt the relationship developments (romantic and platonic) would have been so much better if they were stretched out over more than 2 days. I also wish the beginning focused more on the leads and the political plot (which was one of my favourite parts of the book!)

This has 6 POVs, which might be confusing to some, but I actually found the switching perspectives to be fascinating and imo worked well with the flow of the story and the plot (I also read ZA so I am a POV warrior 😭)

I loved the chapter titles. BRING BACK CHAPTER TITLES PLEASE 👏👏👏👏

Blood Iron & Bone was my first book by Sera Foxe (btw didn't know that was a pseudonym for two authors!), but I'll be reading the next 2 books! If you're looking for a book with The Folk of the Air vibes, definitely check this out!!

This book had so much potential! The plot and the overall story is really captivating. The first half of the book was a struggle for me to get through. It was very repetitive and had a lot of details that were meant to build your relationship with the characters but could have definitely been left out. If this book had a better flow I feel like it could be amazing! Unfortunately the way it is written currently makes me unlikely to pick up the second book.

First I want to thank Netgalley and Sera Foxe for providing me with the ARC of this book.
Before starting this book, it came to my knowledge that the book would have multiple POV´s, written in third person. I´ve read several fantasy books with different POV´s, so for me this wasn´t an issue.
However, if that´s something you find hard, maybe skip this book.
When opening the book one of the first pages I encountered was a pronunciation guide, which I like a lot, because a lot of the names in this book are of Irish origin. Also, at the end of the book you can find a glossary. So you know this is a serious fantasy book!
So as previously mentioned, in this book you follow several different characters who are from both the mortal word as the ´Otherworld´. The book describes the worlds very extensive and also all the creatures living inside, the world building is excellent to me. I could really visualize every little detail described in the book, I think this would also make a great audiobook.
Every character is described very detailed as well, and I adore every single main character. They all have their own purposes, goals and motivations that fit their characters. I also liked a lot of the side characters in the book too.
So the whole story takes place in about 2 to 3 days. I do feel that in the first half of the book, the pacing could’ve picked up a bit better and could´ve been a bit shorter if it were more straight to the point. But I do understand the author for trying to describe everything as good as possible. There´s also some foreshadowing which came together later in the book. The second half of the book had great pacing, at that point I was sucked into the story. It even got to the point where I was a little disappointed that the chapter ended and the story continued in another POV. Fortunately, that disappointment didn´t last long. A detail I really liked is that the book is divided into different part, and with each new part is a piece of text from one of the side characters.
I think the plot is written good, some plot twists I could see from miles away, some took me by surprise. I love how all these characters are trying to find out who they really are and how they cope with everything that comes in their way and how they´re trying to figure out what path they want to continue in. Besides fantasy, there´s also romance in the book. In this book there is yearning, prophecy, found family and fated mates. So for everyone who loves a good romantasy with fated mates, this one´s for you!
Also, the book does have some spice in it, but it’s a very slow burn. I think the yearning builds up the tension really well, which made the spice very pleasing to read!
I really enjoyed reading this book and I´m super excited for the sequel, hopefully I can read that one as an ARC as well.

My rating: 4 stars

This book contains:
Prophecy
Found Family
Fated Mates
Yearning
Slow burn

Favourite quotes:
“No one was going to save her. She had to save herself”
“To meet in her sleep wasn’t walking a new path – it was going home”
“Home is in our blood. When you are where you do not belong, you feel it. You feel it in your bones. The body knows what the mind cannot.”

I love a Fae book so was very happy to receive this. I just think for me it didn’t feel emotional or perhaps immediate enough. I quite enjoyed the different points of view but just sadly didn’t care enough about the various characters. Maybe I’m burned out on Fae stories .? A juxtaposition of characters and where they belong is a fun idea and I liked the idea of parallel worlds but if brutal read this very quickly as I just wanted to know how it ended.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts are honest and I believe fair

I don't think I would read this book again. Very backwards and forwards. Lots of characters as main characters. Would not recommend

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Blood Iron and Bone had a bit of a slow start for me, but once the main characters were united it was harder for me to put down. I love books with the trope of a girl meant for more, and I loved the way that Aurelia, Lark, and Nova’s stories are all tied together.

Initially it was somewhat difficult to keep track of all of the characters, since there are so many POVs in this book. I did very much so appreciate that it was in 3rd person though, which helped! I also felt that in the middle of the book specifically, passage of time was structured in an interesting way. For example, after Cillian and Nova part ways after they first meet, we hear briefly that Cillian gets trapped by Aife in the revel. The next chapter has him running back into Nova and now Aurelia, then the chapter after is back to Cillian in the revel.

Overall though, I am intrigued by the plot and where the characters have to go from here. It seems like each book from here in the series will focus on a different duo, which I think will be an exciting way to see the overall story unfold, and I feel like we’ll get more aspects to this world in each book. I’ll definitely be looking for the sequel when it releases!

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in March. I'm sorry but I just couldn't get past the writing. I couldn't get into it at all. You might like it if you like Fae stories but it was not for me.

Thank you for the Arc :)

This did take me a little while to get into but as soon as I reached about 30% I was hooked. I struggled a bit at first with the multiple povs, but ended up enjoying this and the writing style was incredible. I enjoyed all the characters and loved that there are fated mates and fae. I really liked that there are flash backs and world building in this is spot on.

I would definitely read the next book and I'm very grateful I was accepted for this arc.

Thank you to Sera Foxe and Netgalley for the Arc!

There are fated mates, a prophecy, twins, and fae!

So this took me a bit to get into. It wasn't the multiple povs.I had no problem following along. It was the writing, I just think there is room for a little improvement. Some of the dialogue was repetitive, but I did enjoy the characters, and I'm looking forward to the next book!

Aurelia & Andar ❤️