A thrilling, darkly atmospheric fantasy that pulls you into a world of magic, secrets, and danger. Sera Foxe’s world-building and character development are top-notch, and the stakes keep escalating in the best way!

2.5 /5

This book was really tough for me to get through. I first want to say that I felt that this book had a lot of potential, which is why I continued reading it, even though I struggled a lot with the formatting and editing of the book. First there were at least 5 main characters, that all had times throughout the book where their POV was depicted, however the reader needed to figure out whose POV was being described. There was also a lot of changing to the timeline, without much warning, which made it super confusing to know when the story was in the past or present time. I felt confused reading this book but love a prophesy and fated mate trope, so I wanted to see how this ARC ended.

All in all, the reason for the lower star rating is that I was way to confused with the multiple MC but no POV identification as to whose POV I was reading. The other reason was the confusion on the times lines. The writing just felt very jumpy and made it hard to get through and process what exactly was occurring.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC for this honest review.

This book was a mental workout for sure! There were six different POV’s to keep up with but it was sort of like a fun brain game trying to keep up with the twists & turns!

If you like books about fae and enjoy world building this is a book for you!

This book may be a skip if you enjoy lighter, quick reads.

4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨ Thank you to Sera Foxe & NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.✨

Blood Iron and Bone is a fantastical read that will have you by the chokehold. This book is told from six points of view, so it can be intense and a little intimidating at first, but stick with it because it's worth it! The story is intricate and keeps you guessing as the mystery unfolds. Set in a massive world filled with magic and romance, you will fall head over heels for these characters. I can't wait to read more from Sera Foxe!

Definitely an intense fantasy read! It was a lot to figure out and kept up with, especially with 6 different POVs but if you can follow along it feels like it’s setting up for something big! I do wish the romance had played a little larger of a role but that’s just me.

Blood iron and bone
- As there was a large number of povs there was a lot of information to take in straight away … which took a large amount of brain power to keep up with at some points.
- Good character descriptions and detailed world building.
- Good introduction to Aurelia’s family and unhappy upbringing. Adds depth to her character, with flash backs to her childhood.
- Three main characters Andar, Lark and Aurelia. Aurelia is human whereas andar and lark are fae from another world.
- Destined mates, fae (alike those seen in the cruel prince) and courtly politics make this an interesting read.

Other details
⭐️ magic
⭐️animal companion
⭐️some explicit content
⭐️ fae and human love story

I just finished the book and it was great! This book is a Romantasy with Fated Mates. Though in this first book it is definitely a slow burn in the romance factor. GIVE IT TIME! (Lol!) My only downfall to this book was trying to actively remember whose POV I was in when I put the book down! It has 6 different POVs and sometimes I had to go back and reread the chapter due to being confused. I really only began to keep up about 40% of the way into the book. It was a mental work-out just to keep up.
I can tell that this is the first book of the series with the sheer amount of world building (I loved the description of the other realm). The Author made me feel like I was walking next to the characters the entire time while describing the world around me.
I truly can't wait for the next book to be released. To me this was the perfect distraction I needed from reality. Slipping in and out of the minds of Fae.
Thank you NetGalley, Booksprout, and mostly the Author Sera Foxe for allowing me to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Agency Press for the ARC for this book. I was really excited to read this book based on the premise. Fates, humans & fae, high queens and kings, curses - these are all absolutely some of my favourite things in books. This story absolutely had so much potential, but unfortunately it just did not work for me. The first 20% of this book was really tough to get through - a lot of info dumping, repetitive prose, and basically no action. I nearly gave up on the story many times.

This book isn’t a quick pull—you have to work for it. With multiple POVs, it takes some time to settle into the story, and I’ll admit, the first 200 pages felt like a challenge. But once I found my footing? I was completely hooked.

The way all the storylines weave together reminded me of Crash (yes, the 2004 film—I may or may not have gasped when I looked up the release date). At first, it was a bit disorienting, but as the threads connected, the payoff was so worth it. The twists kept me guessing, and I was fully invested in the characters by the time everything clicked into place.

If you love intricate plots and a slow burn that rewards patience, strap in—this one delivers. I went in unsure and walked away pleasantly surprised!

DNF @ 10%

I tried my best to like this book, I really did. Ever since I read the synopsis, I had high hopes for it, and my expectations just weren't met.

The writing style, in particular, did not work for me. I only read a few chapters, but the writing made me cringe on so many occasions. There was a combination of modern terms and outdated words that did not work well together, in my opinion, and it made the story really hard for me to read. The writing itself is also pretty simplistic, but at times, it felt like the author was trying to cover up this fact by using over the top words that felt completely out of place.

I also can't say I liked Aurelia, one of the main characters, from the few chapters that I read from her perspective. She felt incredibly cartoonish to me. I did not like how she kept saying that she didn't belong, that she's different, that she was special. Can we please retire this trope?

In the end, this book just wasn't one that aligned with my tastes, but I hope others can still find it enjoyable!

Most of this book was actually amazing. I love how the story progressed and while there was a lot of POVs, it was fun to have a bunch of characters to follow. There was a time during the book where I felt a small bit of boredom was nothing was really happening. Aurelia is probably my favourite character If not a little naive and her relationship was definetely good during the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

4 ⭐!

What a brilliant debut! It has everything I ever wanted. I can't sit to add this beauty to my collection

4 ⭐️ Blood Iron and Bone by Sera Foxe is a fantasy full of secrets and adventure. We follow our main character Aurelia who is in the mortal world and has always felt like she doesn’t fit in. When she is sucked into another world where she meets Andar, she immediately feels attracted to him. But one problem: He is engaged and soon to be married!! To none other than the next Queen 😱

Andar has always loved Lark, his betrothed but only as a sister, and when he sees Aurelia, his immediate attraction brings problems for him. He is a man of his word and he has promised to marry Lark. Dive into this epic fantasy of Blood Iron and Bone.

In the beginning, it’s a bit slow but it picks up. My favorite character was Nova and I enjoyed how she was portrayed in the story. I also loved the chemistry between Andar and Aurelia as this moved the plot forward.

You will like this if you like

✨ Fated Mates
✨ Slow Burn
✨ Fae Fantasy
✨ Other World

Thank you, NetGalley, Agency Press, and Sera Foxe for this Advance Reader Copy of Blood Iron and Bone.

I'm right there with everyone else! Floored this is Sera's debut! She killed it with the atmospheric world building, exciting story and the romance. This was everything I look for in a romantasy and can't wait to read more from her.

4.5/5 ⭐
1/5 🌶️

Blood Iron and Bone follows Aurelia of the mortal world and Andar of the Faerish kingdom, who have both felt something is not quite right in their lives. Aurelia has always felt like she did not belong. Even in her own home she never felt love, affection, or even wanted by her parents. Andar has never felt the spark to his betrothed, but his sense of duty has always kept him trying to keep his future wife, the Faerish Princess Lark, optimistic and happy. Lark spends her days locked in a tower that feels like a cage awaiting her wedding to her lifelong friend and her promised ascension to High Queen that will follow, or at least that was what was prophesized on the day of their birth.

The Prophecy of Light
High Queen and Warrior born the same night
In the sixth month at sunrise bloodlines unite
First-born must wed second to bring back the light

I really enjoyed the not-so-common use of many fae tropes. The twists were mostly predictable but I enjoyed them just as much as the unpredictable ones. Over all it is very well written with fantastic worldbuilding and interesting characters. The included pronunciation guide and mini glossary included before the book begins is something I truly appreciated and wish more authors would include. There is also a lovely glossary at the end of the book that I think will serve as a great refresher going into book 2 as well as just to see if you missed anything or were curious about some of the things and terms mentioned in the book. Do not read the glossary in the back of the book until after reading the book unless you want to spoil some things for yourself. You have been warned!

The set-up did take a long time, possibly too long for some. It took me a while to get hooked in, but by the halfway mark I didn't want to put the book down and was happy to not be left on a cliffhanger ending. The ending did feel a bit convenient in some aspects, but since it is also the start of a trilogy, I can forgive that. I am so excited to hear that the whole trilogy will be released in 2025, so I won't have to wait too long to continue this series, which I intend to do as soon as possible! I would definitely recommend this book to any and all romantasy lovers, especially if you prefer less spice and a deeper plot. I feel like this is going to be a big series for 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley, Agency Press, and Sera Foxe for the chance to read this E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful cover and beautiful book! This is going to be a great addition to my library! I absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for giving me an early copy!

I really enjoyed this read! I am a big fan of fantasy books that have been coming out lately and Blood Iron and Bone really hit where others have as well! I am excited by it being part of a series because there are so many points of view in it. I enjoyed going along for the ride with all of them.

I really enjoyed reading the ARC of Blood Iron and Bone! I think some readers may have a difficult time from the jump, as the writing style is a very fluid 3rd person. Each character has their own unique voice but we can jump into any persons thoughts and actions at any point in a chapter. For me, that wasn’t a deal breaker, but there was certainly a learning curve.

Some selling points:
1. PRONUNCIATION GUIDES AND GLOSSARY - I’m unequivocally a huge fan of a glossary and pronunciation guides in books. Why all big fantasy books don’t have them is beyond me.
2. There is really imaginative world building that doesn’t feel beside the plot. You are learning with the characters in a way that makes sense with the story.
3. There is a mystery element. Throughout the book you know something big is coming but how that occurs is a mystery and has you sitting at the edge of your seat.

Things that may put you off:
1. There are dream and flashback sequences that happen in the middle of some chapters without a clear delineation between present time and past event, so that can be hard to parse.
2. I think one of the primary romances deserved to be fleshed out more. Without spoiling anything, I think there should be more dialogue between those two characters to make a more compelling romance (this is something I except will be fleshed out in future books in the series).

Overall, definitely recommend to my fellow fantasy readers and looking forward to future releases from the duo known as Sera Foxe!

A fated mates Romantasy that I throughly enjoyed. I was really excited to go into this one. Of course when you throw in a prohophecct you are in for a good time. I had to sit with my thoughts for a few hours before going into this. Overall I really liked the story but I was unsure what my rating would be. I am normally easy to please and have no issues with a book rather it is first or third. But this was a third person and had 6 POV’s and that did at times overwhelm me. It is something I really wish I did know before going in. Sometimes I find knowing these things before I go into a book that I will be going back and forth between that many prepares me, and my adhd brain, for the work my brain is going to do. But in the end I thought the writing was well done and that the plot was put together for the first book in this new series. I am very interesting on seeing what the next installment brings.

I received an E-Arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, for this opportunity.

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

Blood, Iron and Bone is an adult fantasy romance that follows an expansive cast of characters—Aurelia, a mortal girl who is tethered by fate to Andar, a Fae from another realm bound by prophecy to marry a Princess he doesn't love. Lark, the Queen-to-be of Aithrim set to marry the childhood friend she does not love to save the world. Nova, a human servant stolen as a child and forced to serve the royal Fae, and Cillian, a Fae solider from the lower castes—all of whom find themselves unwittingly drawn into a complicated web of court intrigue decades in the making.

To start with some positives, the worldbuilding for the Fae realm, Aithrim, and its social hierarchy of different kinds of Fae was innovative. The Fae of Aithrim are separated into three main sects, Athruean, gifted with the ability to change their appearance at will and blessed with political leadership; Seileans, characterized by their animalistic features like horns and wings, often forced into warrior roles and Adharcans, a sub-sect of Seileans with impressive strength and deadlier instincts deemed monsters by most. The Athruean rule over Aithrim with an iron fist, suppressing the powers and rights of the Seileans and Adharcans in addition to the Obiri, the humans stolen from their realm to serve as a servant caste living in tunnels beneath the royal palace. With the story's shifting PoVs, the reader is given insight into how this complicated system affects characters from the various castes, with Andar and Lark providing insight into the Athruean perspective, Cillian the Seilean perspective and Nova, the Obiri. Despite this exciting premise, I found it could have been better explained. There was also a lot of confusing world-building around the 'prophecy' that connects Andar and Lark, our two Athrueans, that I think could have been explained better, but overall, I believe that the worldbuilding was good.

Similarly, I think, for the most part, that the character work was pretty well done. Personally, I believe that there were too many PoVs. Indeed, in my summary above, I excluded one of the PoVs (Captain Alasdair, if anyone was wondering) because this character only got one chapter focused on them and rarely appeared in the story. Because of this, the characters were given an uneven amount of attention and would often disappear for extended periods, making the story hard to keep track of. Additionally, I felt that the characters were somewhat inconsistently written; for example, I really did not enjoy Aurelia and Andar's chapters, but I did enjoy Lark, Nova, and Cillian's chapters for the most part. However, I often found that the writing for all of the characters was inconsistent across the different chapters. I think this could partly be because Sera Foxe is an author duo, so they may have each had their own ways of writing the characters, which I found confusing.

Likewise, I think Sera Foxe being an author duo had something to do with the inconsistent grammatical choices. For instance, I found that in many of the earlier chapters, mainly Aurelia's, parentheses were used rather flippantly to add in, in my opinion, unnecessary details. These relatively minuscule changes in the grammatical structure of the narrative made it hard for me to follow along with the story as I kept being pulled out from it by the shifting narration. There were also a few issues with the narrative 'telling' more so than 'showing.' For example, we were often told about how a character felt instead of getting any insight into why they felt that way, which often left the characterization hollow. There were also a lot of times when the authors would repeat the same thing over and over again. One such example is that some variation of "Aurelia's parents don't love her" is constantly repeated throughout the first half, multiple times in almost every chapter, and how much she is 'not like other' girls and a 'weirdo who doesn't fit in.'

Unfortunately, the negatives don't end here either; as I stated before, Aurelia and Andar were my least favourite characters, and despite this book's marketing as a fantasy romance focused on them, I hated that aspect of the book and thought it was one of the weakest points of the narrative despite the premise of star-crossed human and fae lovers from different realms being what drew me to the story in the first place. Their relationship was very insta-love mainly because of their shared connection with Aurelia and Andar, both having dreamed of each other for most of their lives. Despite this book being marketed as a fantasy romance, these characters don't even meet each other until about the 75% mark. Andar as well is one of the most neglected characters, and I think the main cast has the least amount of PoVs chapters, most of which made me like his character less; in particular, some of the chapters that he has with Lark paint him as a relatively dense, selfish and all around ignorant to the privilege that he has.

Furthermore, as mentioned in the synopsis, Aurelia begins the book in the human realm, setting the expectation that she will journey to the Fae realm. However, this doesn't come to pass until around 50%, which is incredibly jarring because the other four characters are in the Fae realm. Their plotlines focus on common themes like the prophecy, the upcoming royal wedding, or the politics of Aithrim, while Aurelia is instead reflecting on her complicated relationship with her parents or her vaguely supernatural cat from her childhood and some weird story about how it died while at a sleepover that has absolutely nothing to do with the main plot. I believe that these characters and their relationship should not have been the focus of the marketing of this book, and I believe, in part, were emphasized to appeal to the current market trend of fantasy romance, which is a shame because I think that there was more potential to the story to have focused on the main fantasy plot as opposed to cramming in a lacklustre and rushed romance.

Overall, Blood, Iron and Bone is unfortunately hampered by poor narrative and characterization choices but still has a lot of potential with a few solid characters, an interesting interpretation of Fae and unique worldbuilding that could have been a lot better with some plot-based editing and whether or not each PoV and plot line it explored was necessary to the overall narrative.