I thoroughly enjoyed the prologue; it immediately captivated me. While the beginning was excellent, I felt the story lost momentum. The characters lacked depth, diminishing my engagement, and I ultimately stopped reading. However, the underlying concept is original and intriguing and possesses significant potential.

I appreciate the opportunity for this but unfortunately I will not be finishing it. I struggled with the pacing and didn't feel like the world/characters had a lot of depth.

Good start to the series. I enjoyed the FMC Aurelia, she was an absolute delight. I would’ve liked more world building and details. The conflict scenes felt very short and didn’t add much to the story. Interactions between characters was engaging. I felt like the book was rushed and there was no real buildup. Hopeful for a continuation of the series though

Aurelia has always been lonely in her home, with emotionally distant parents and no friends. She's only had the boy from her dreams to keep her company. But one day, she goes looking to find him...and passes into another world.

I loved the plot device of having an omniscient narrator in the book - who clearly sees danger and intrigue ahead. It made the book interesting from the very beginning. The character of Maw (or, as I think she should be called as an Irish mammy, Ma) is fascinating and unusual. I really enjoyed that the book allowed for romance of minor characters (I want so much more Alasdair and Aife), as well as the Irish-related setting.

I'm excited for the next book in the series and hope it will give some more time and development to so many of the fascinating women in the book: Aife, Maw, and Ciorraithe.

As the first two star review for this book I feel terrible but I just can not give this any higher rating than that.

This was such a slow book, I really thought at some point it would pick up and actually start but the entire book felt like a backstory building up for another book. I did not see any action until about 85% of this book and that is just not acceptable for me.
Too many characters were introduced in this book where I could not fall in love with a majority of them because we did not get enough time with each.
I really enjoyed Aurelia and Lark in the beginning but found myself getting annoyed with both of them and their constant "woe is me" attitude after a couple of chapters.
I loved the concept of this book but did not love the execution. I will most definitely not read from this series but I will consider this author again in the future after their is more growth.

“The call that came out of the darkness was at once both a whisper and a scream. Pitched perhaps too high for most humans to hear, it was still loud enough to wake Aurelia Bartlett from her slumber.”

--

Thank you to Netgalley and Sera Foxe for the ARC copy. This was absolutely fantastic.
There is something deeply and darkly prophetic about Blood Iron and Bone that has left me thinking about this book now that I've finished reading it. I'll be honest, I've got a book hangover, which to me is the sign of a very, very good read. The location of Áithrim is so well fleshed out, with creatures and unique magic and Aurelia is an incredible FMC. Sera Foxe... we need to talk about Lark - please... book 2... (brokenheart).

I have a soft spot for fate, prophecies and worldly veils and this book doesn't disappoint in how well it balances light and dark, desire and despair and speaking between minds. The last 30% of the book had me on the edge as the story takes a few turns that I just didn't see coming. I am already so very excited for book 2 and I'm already excited for a re-read!

- Visions & prophecy
- Fae (like you've not seen them)
- Growth in power
- Animal companions
- Rebellion & Royalty
- Telepathic communication
- Unique magic

A thrilling adventure with a well-built world, interesting characters, a fast-moving and surprising plot, and a really cool take on all things Fae. The chapters are so gripping you’ll be turning the pages quickly, eager to find out what happens next. The characters are incredibly captivating, each one bringing something unique to the story. I can't wait for the next book to see where their journeys take them. Thank you to #netgalley and @serafoxe and @agencypressbooks for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

An incredible ride with great world-building, complicated and well-executed characters, a fast-paced and unpredictable plot, and a very creative take on a Faerish parallel universe.