Bonesmith

WHAT A FANTASY.

Packed full of everything that I adore from snarky girls to brooding boys to bone magic to gashes carved into the earth with eerie magic seeping out of them. It's a brilliant, expansive story, and the political intrigue combines spectacularly with the dark magic and world slowly peeling itself open to reveal its secrets. Also there's weapons made of bones and sword that's also a whip? This book endeavors to make everything it does cool as hell, and it succeeds.

I was first drawn to this book based on the beautiful cover. But when I saw it compared to Ninth House and Game of Thrones I was completely sold. I had high expectations for this book, and they were definitely met. Without being spoilery, if you're drawn to the cover and the premise as I was, go for it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it is a summer release and because I was lucky enough to get an ARC, I had to read it in summer and not in spooky season which would be the perfect time! But on the bright side, it means that I can tell everyone else to please add it to their spooky season TBRs!!

I LOVED it. It was so dark and spooky, I love horror and don't get creeped out easily but some of these scenes definitely made a shiver run down my spine when I was reading late at night (so if you're more easily spooked, maybe make this a daytime read lol).

It's pitched as Gideon the Ninth meets Game of Thrones White Walkers and while the influence of the latter was definitely visible, it was very much it own story and the worldbuilding and magic was centered around ghosts, zombies, and the bonesmiths / necromancers keeping them at bay.

I was surprised at how rounded everything was, I think there was a slight danger of the book falling too much into the horror genre and not being enough of a fantasy novel, but because the horror elements were so central to the story, it ended up being what it was supposed to be: a spooky YA fantasy.
It was so cool how political intrigues were woven into the stories and interlaced with the undead.

Wren, our FMC, is such a badass, I loved her. A classic outcast and underdog type of character who ends up proving herself and her powers and chooses to fight instead of cowering from the dangers. Both MMCs complemented her nicely, and I can't wait to see how their relationship dynamics change in the sequel. So far, it's not really a love triangle, but who knows what happens next!

The writing was great and the book was incredibly atmospheric, it really did feel as if you were in the middle of a haunted forest.

Overall, I had high hopes for this one and it ended up being exactly what I hoped it would be and more. I highly recommend this one!

Bonesmith is a book that surpassed my expectations and became a new favorite book of mine. There was never a dull moment, and it kept my attention the whole way through. I just couldn’t put it down until I’ve reached the end.

The main focus of the book is on the people called “Bonesmiths”, individuals with the ability to harness magic from bones and fight undead spirits that threaten their world. Their job is essentially to keep the undead dead and the living alive. Since the main character Wren is a bonesmith, and the story has a strong focus on the undead and bones, this is darker YA fantasy. But what else is to expect from bone and necromancy-adjacent magic. But there are more magic users than just the Bonesmiths. Like the Ironsmiths who can control Iron, and also Stonesmiths, Goldsmiths and Ghostsmiths. Each group has their own special abilities and magical material. These different groups made the backbone of the lore, and what an interesting lore it is! The magic-system was so unique, and had me hooked from the start! Not to mention that the world-building is exquisite, very fleshed-out, and I love that the book includes a map of the world so the reader can keep track of all the interesting places the characters travel to.

The plot is very character driven, so let's talk about the characters. The first main character, the Bonesmith Wren, is bold, brash and slightly arrogant - in a very entertaining way. She’s also witty, imperfect and very determined. She’s trouble, but very charming trouble. Then there's Julian, the stoic Ironsmith who is used to carrying the world on his shoulders, but has a softer side underneath. I really loved the two of them, their banter and the way they slowly grew to trust each other on their journey. Not to mention that this book promised enemies to lovers, and it was delivered. A very slow-burned one, which is my favorite kind! The third important character of this book, and the last one of this strange trio, is Prince Leo. The guy who got kidnapped and the reason Wren and Julian have entered into their uneasy pact. At first I thought he was just a damsel in distress character, but we get a few chapters from his pov and he’s just delightfully mischievous and resourceful. Not to mention that apart from being a breath of fresh air in the story, his parts offer a great insight into the bigger plot. I loved it, and I loved all three of them. I especially enjoyed how they grow and change over the course of the story. They experience things and learn new things, and have to align themselves with this new information. It was great to see!

This book was a really fast read, which is impressive since it’s quite a chonky book at 464 pages. But the story was easy to follow along with, and the characters were just so delightful. The only thing I didn’t love was the long chapters, but that’s a very personal thing since I’m a short chapter kind of gal. Fair to say I’m super excited for the sequel!

I loved it, I was hooked, and the only regret I had that it makes it a 4.5/5 instead of a 5/5 is that at some point, when she's exiled at the beginning, I was wondering when the story will pick up, why it went to a very slow pacing suddenly.

But we dive straight into the story and discover little by little this world and how everything works, all about the smiths but also different Houses and its politics. It was really interesting to learn about and follow.

I loved Wren, seeing how she stays both the same but subtly change from what she learns and feels during this journey. I loved Julian, as well as the dynamics between them both : we can clearly says their relationship is more of a ennemies to allies to lovers to walking-on-shells, and it was actually very well done. Leo was a very interesting and funny character especially with his friendship with Wren.

We sometimes get Leo's POV and it was cool to get to see his side of the story, as well as a couple of Julian, but it's mostly Wren's (everything in 3rd POV).

I loved everything that happened in this book, all the plot twists and things we learn about, even if there were some stuff I guessed. We can think this book 1 is more of an introduction, but I actually feel like we got way too many things happening and plot twists that it's very full but also opens a lot to the book 2, so I can't wait to read it!

Bonesmith is a gem among YA epic fantasy novels! I loved it and I just need more of it!

The reason why I enjoyed it so much is that it's a still complex and very well though-out story with wonderfully crafted world and magic system. The story has political intrigues, mysteries and secrets to be revealed. The magic system with different branches of smiths is built and explained in a quite original way, too. The magic brings a lot of complexity to the world and is a crucial part of the story. All of these make an interesting epic fantasy for me. Also, the necromancy and ghosts gave it a sinister atmosphere that I enjoyed. On the other hand, it's written simply but immersively. The plot development is very fast-paced, that's why the book sucked me in immediately and I could stop only when I actually finished reading it.

As it's an YA fantasy, there is romance, too. Even though I usually find any romance annoying and distracting, it isn't the case for Bonesmith. A huge part of it is that I loved the main characters a lot. The tension between them was gradually built and even though it's enemies to lovers, it wasn't toxic at all. Their personalities matched and were my jam. And another reason is the romance is truly only a subplot, and the main focus is the actual story, politics, magic, worldbuilding and character development.

So if you like YA epic fantasy done right, this is a perfect read for you!

First of all I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

To be really honest, when I saw this was pitched as ‘’Gideon the Ninth meets Game of Thrones’’ I was a bit wary cause both of those exact books sadly aren’t my cup of tea.

BUT this book ended up surprising me in a very good way! The story took a hold of me from the very start and all I could do was hold on for the duration of the ride. It’s been a while since I’ve stayed up until 2AM to finish a book, but I was literally physically unable to put this one down. Whenever I even made an attempt to go to sleep but brain would just immediately drift back towards whatever scene I closed the book on and I just HAD to know what happened next. So a shoutout to the author for making me lose sleep I guess.

The unique world the story took place in was definitely one of the factors of my enjoyment. I can always appreciate a fleshed out world without fear of any type of info dump. The author really had a talent for explaining certain aspects of the world extremely well without giving my brain the impression of receiving too much information to actually process.

But the most important factor of my enjoyment will always be the characters. AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS!! First off we have Wren. I’m an absolute sucker for powerful women so I declared Wren my new fictional wife from the very beginning. I loved her so much and she can do no wrong in my opinion. I loved seeing her grow from this stubborn little girl to a badass powerful asf woman aaaah. Usually when I read a YA I always tend to pick a favorite male main character but I refuse to do so in this case. I won’t pick between my sweet and pretty golden prince Leo or the brave and handsome warrior Julian. There wasn’t any hint of a love triangle between these three either which I found really refreshing tbh! These three just gave me extreme found family vibes and I can’t wait to see how their bond will strengthen and be challenged over time.

My only regret with reading this arc is that I will have to wait longer for the damn sequel to come out. In the mean ime I’ll be waiting in a dark corner, clutching my Wren x Julian endgame banner

Wow is all I can say.

This book might be a new favourite of the year, because it started with such a bang, my jaw was on the floor! The writing was exquisite, and I question my sanity because I've had the author's previous books on my shelf for a while!

This book was so fierce and intriiguing. It grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go until the final page- a true wonder! I loved the main character and her motivations for becoming a champion. The world is so intense, with the brutal training of become a reaper or protector of the reapers. It felt like I was on a wild ride and the plot only picked up as the story progressed. Immensely enjoyable- this one is going to be popular!

Highly recommend to fans of six of crows and gideon the ninth!

"Bonesmith" by Nicki Pau Preto is a dark and captivating young adult fantasy that weaves together elements of ghost-fighting, political intrigue, and alliances among enemies. Set in a world where the dead linger as violent and unpredictable ghosts, the story follows Wren, a bonesmith aspiring to become a valkyr—a skilled ghost-fighting warrior.

The novel introduces readers to a complex world filled with unique elements, including the Dominions, the Border Wall, and the Breach—a wasteland inhabited by vicious ghosts. While the world-building is imaginative and intriguing, the pacing of the story is a point of contention for some readers. The reviewer expresses frustration with the slow revelation of information and world discovery, which hinders their enjoyment of the book in the initial 60% of the story.

However, the last 40% of "Bonesmith" proves to be highly satisfying, as the answers to mysteries start falling into place. The characters' backgrounds, motivations, and magical abilities become clearer, and the world begins to make sense. The reviewer appreciates the "Aha!" moments and the sense of discovery that comes with these revelations.

Despite the pacing issues, the novel's strength lies in its world-building and the promise of more captivating discoveries to come in subsequent books in the series. The reviewer acknowledges that the last 40% of the book redeemed the reading experience and piqued their interest in the potential of future installments.

"Bonesmith" offers a compelling blend of fantasy elements, political machinations, and intriguing character dynamics. While some readers may find the pacing initially slow, the overall storytelling and world-building hold promise for an engaging series that will keep readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing an eARC to review!

I am OBSESSED with this book! It was an instant favorite for me and I was hooked from the first page. I love fantasy books with horror elements so I knew Bonesmith was right up my alley ever since I saw the cover. The world building and the magic system are original and refreshing, and the writing is excellent. The plot is character driven and I enjoyed every second of Wren and Julian's interaction (banter). At first I thought there was going to be a love triangle, but I'm glad that was not the case.

This book also gave me something to add to my bucket list: using a knight's armor's reflective surface to reapply eyeshadow and lipstick! If only I could find a knight in shining armor now...

I managed to read this book in a day and a half, which is nearly impossible because I have quite a busy schedule; but that only goes to show how good and easy to read Bonesmith is. I can't wait for the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Bonesmith is an excellent example of perfectionism in storytelling. It is obvious from the get-go that Nicki Pau Preto loves this world and the characters in it so much and it makes for an intriguing and fantastical tale. The magic system is very intriguing, with the magic being tied to different types of materials that people can manipulate making it appealing and interesting to read about.

The first part of the book is very exposition heavy, which can feel as though you’re dragging your feet through the mud just to get to the story, but when the pacing finally kicks off, the story is excellent and fast paced and full of intrigue.

Wren is the kind of main character that is easy to love, she is fierce and brash and doesn’t take any shit, and I love her for it. Her arc within the story is well thought out and believable and it feels as though she goes through some real character development without it ever taking away from her fierceness, which is extremely refreshing to see in a book with a female MC.

The ‘unlikely allies’ trope is played excellently with Wren and Julian’s story. While it may start out seeming as though the book will play with the usual enemies to lovers trope, when the two get thrown into this world that they don’t know about and have to fight together to survive, it quickly turns to them becoming more reluctant allies and let me tell you, the slow burn!

The plot twists worked well with the story and helped propel the reader through the narrative and as things get revealed, you feel as though you are on the same path as Wren.

I look forward to see when Preto takes this with the next instalment and I will be waiting with excitement!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/ 4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Bonesmith is a story about Wren, who is sent to the Border Wall after failing the bonesmith trial. There she meets Leo, a third prince who gets kidnapped beyond the border. Together with Julien, an ironsmith, she journeys beyond the wall to get Leo back.

“Death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise.”

I have loved the books written by Nicki Pau Preto since Crown of Feathers and when learning of this book, it immediately became an anticipated release that I couldn’t wait to read!

I was taken away by the rich world created! So much details went into the different houses and their traits, powers etc. It felt really unique, fun and well thought-out. I would’ve liked to learn more about the history of the other houses and how many exactly there are.

The writing style was great and easy to follow along. While the pacing wasn’t the fastest, I do feel like it dragged a bit in the beginning and took me some time to really get into the story! It felt like the information at the beginning, which was quite a lot, might’ve been better spread throughout the story for better continuation of the pace. It is very much worth it to keep on reading though, because the story gets better and better!

The vibe and atmosphere created were really amazingly done! It was creepy in a way you expect with a book about ghosts and it delivered! Haunting but excited at the same time!

I was a fan of Wren! I liked how bold and brave she was! She was a bit to reckless in the beginning and didn’t really think about others, but she really grew so much during this book! That was really admirable! I also really liked Julian and his loyalty and moral compass! He is such an opposite to Wren, so that made for a very fun dynamic! Leo was a breath of fresh air!

I liked the complicated family relationships this book had! There is little romance, but more than enough tension and chemistry between the characters! It makes for an interesting development and excitement to see where it will go in the sequel!

I did guess some of the twists and reveals beforehand, since it was foreshadowed in my opinion, but that didn’t make them any less exciting! It was more a “I was right!” feeling than a “yeah, I know that already” one haha.

Overall, Bonesmith is a hauntingly beautiful story in a unique world and with badass characters going on a rescue mission and trying not to kill each other! I can’t wait to read book 2!

I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So, let me start off with saying this book was good. Really good. The story, the characters, THE PLOTTWISTS, everything.

Our main character is Wren, a bonesmith, as alluded to by the title. She's portrayed as a rule breaker from the start, and it works so well. The side characters are well thought out, and have their own motivations and backstories that are revealed more throughout the story. AND THE VILLAIN. Man, I did not see that coming.

The story is engaging from the start, even though it changes settings quickly. That new setting, however, is even more interesting than the one originally set up, and manages to sweep you into the story immediately. We follow Wren through the lands past the Breach in order to try and save the kidnapped prince, and there we meet more and more of the Undead. These Undead are creepy, I tell you!

Overall, this story was so engaging, and I could not see any of the plottwists coming. The book had me hooked until the very last page, and I already cannot wait for the sequel!

This is now the third arc I've read in a row that made its way onto my ultimate favourite books list, so you could say I've had an amazing reading month. Hopefully this continues with the next arc as well.

So I've heard of Nicki Pau Preto before, I've had her Crown of Feathers series on my tbr since 2019, and have been wanting to read them since 2018 at least. But I was always waiting to get physical copies which didn't happen yet, but after reading Bonesmith I'm going to be prioritising them.

Bonesmith has a gorgeous cover, an interesting world, good storyline and lovable characters. It also has ghosts.

I wasn't sure about the ghosts at first, or rather the undead. I tend to associate them more with paranormal books, but they were worked well into the story and I ended up loving them. Especially the one more prominent undead character.

Another thing that was a bit off at the start was the pacing. I wouldn't call the whole book slow paced, but the beginning definitely was. And it was a little info heavy too. If you have the patience to sit through it though, it's worth it.

The middle is medium paced and the end pretty fast paced, so you could say this book has it all. And it really does.

The romance might seem like a love triangle at first, but if you don't like that trope then worry not, it's not really a triangle. One pairing is pretty obvious and the other is very friendly, and when all three of them meet there's no hard feelings or jealousy.

Also this is one of the very few YA books where I actually *like* who the mc goes for, but again it's not a triangle, but still. Usually my luck would have me favouring the other guy regardless, and while I do love him, I'm very fond of his friendly bond with Wren.

So yes the romance, I shipped it instantly, like before you could even snap your fingers. I just knew they'd be a good fit together. I so enjoyed them journeying together, their banter, the tension!!!

Which in turn reminds me, this is upper YA, I believe? Because the love interest is almost 20 and Wren is 17, but some of the jokes included make me think it's meant for the upper YA and above crowd.

Anyway, Wren was a very fun main character to follow, because she was selfish for a lot of the book, and she had to unlearn that in order to do what's right. But I liked that she was reckless and did whatever she wanted to, no matter the consequences.

Julian and Leo were both lovely too, and they also got PoVs of their own. Leo's PoV came first, but we had to wait a bit for Julian's so I wasn't even sure if we'd get it. I'm hoping we'll get even more in the next book.

I did see some of the twists coming, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this to the fullest. I am still so intrigued by Wren's family history and I can't wait to see what else we'll learn about it.

I'm super glad this is going to be a trilogy, because a duology simply would not have been enough.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*