Reviews with content warning for Grief - Bone Crier's Moon

This book was interesting enough to get me through to the end, but it was not really my cup of tea. It adheres much too strongly to the expected YA tropes with not much deviation, and doesn’t do it in a sufficiently interesting way in my opinion.

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kbairbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Eh, I feel indifferent if not slightly negatively towards this book. I just… didn’t like it. And I can’t even put my finger on why?

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journeythroughthechapters's review

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The last half of this book got me. I was in it. There was action and angst. At points I was nitpicking bits of the plot but by the end I didn't really care.

At a couple points I was shocked which I love in a book because I means it's hooked me in. There were also points that were predictable but honestly that didn't matter to me. I can't wait for the second book.

Representation
POC

Content Warning
Grief, Violence, Self Harm, Animal Death

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reads_with_lauren's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I give this 3.75 stars because I was surprised and actually did enjoy this
book.
I have extreeeeeemly mixed feelings about this book. I
think I've found why but I still can't 100% place it.
I *mostly* loved the characters- I thought they were
interesting to read and had good character development.
Concept & plot execution was actually probably the best
part of the whole book. I really enjoyed the fantasy world
the author came up with. I thought it was unique but it
also kinda fit into a
"stereotypical" kind of fantasy book
feel, which was actually nice to read and didn't hinder my
experience. I thought the magic system and the rituals
were so carefully thought out and it shows.
Overall I enjoyed this but I do think this should've been
one book and not two... (just my thoughts)

I have to talk about Bastien and Ailesse's relationship because it was seriously captive to lovers. It could be classified enemies to lovers, but let's be real with ourselves. Ailesse tried to kill Bastien first, then he came super close to killing her, and took her hostage for a long time and drained her of her health and allowed Jules to lash out at her. I mean, yeah I know they were after 'revenge' but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be a decent person to your hostage. Bastien even notes later on how she looks so nutrient deprived and how it was probably his fault. I just hated this aspect. And then suddenly they're in love? Like actual “love". I don't get it. It's been AT MOST A MONTH BUT I'M PRETTY SURE LESS THAN A MONTH.

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brookey8888's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really liked this! I really enjoyed the friendship even though we didn’t get to see them together. I did not enjoy the insta love but whatever, it was kind of excused. I do wish Sabrine had some kind of romance. She was my favorite and I wish we got more of her to be honest. The guy was fine he wasn’t anything special. I thought the bone crier magic was interesting.

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sunsetcity's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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malloryfitz's review

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Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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spearly's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I picture a bridge and the girl I’ll kill there. Any Bone Crier will do. They’re all murderers. I’ll take what they stole from me, my father’s life for one of their own.
Nine more days, Bastien. Then my father will be at peace. I’ll be at peace. I can’t imagine the feeling.

There's a terrible price to pay for the ancient magic that allows Ailesse and the rest of her clan to ferry the dead to their final resting place. Girls must lure their soulmate to a bridge with a siren song and kill him with a bone-carved knife. Ailesse, the heir to her clan, plans to do just that... until her soulmate arrives, ready to kill her instead.

I enjoyed this fantasy a lore more than some other fantasy series. I think I've read enough fae lore to last me a lifetime (I get it, they have big dicks). The world building wasn't too in-your-face - as in, I didn't suffer through hundreds of pages trying to make sense of the world - and the story itself was pretty interesting. It's no secret that enemies to lovers is a god-tier trope, and this definitely took it to the next level; I mean, come on. The first time Ailesse and Bastien meet, they literally try to kill each other.

Except.. Purdie included some time jumps (of about 2 weeks or so) twice in the novel, and I feel like we lost some of the relationship development in the process. We have these 2 people, each plotting to find a way to kill the other, and then time jump they are sharing soft looks, acting all awkward around each other, barely resisting the urge to just make out. idk. I feel like the book would have benefitted from a biiiit more of a slow burn. I wanted to see Bastien really battle with himself over his emerging feelings for Ailesse, considering her kind literally murdered his father. I wanted to see Ailesse struggle to unlearn everything her mother has taught her about her right of passage. There was no... angst. I don't want peace.... I want PROBLEMS, ALWAYS.

The side characters were great though. Or, I guess Sabine doesn't really count as a side character seeing as the story is literally told partially from her POV, but she's a side character in my eyes because y'all know I just read this for the romance. I loved her strength. The way she resolved to set aside her own insecurities to save her best friend. The way she, too, had to steel herself against the tradition that has been ingrained in her since she was born.

Marcel was adorable. He really balanced out the tension of the story with her earnestness. Jules... well, I hated her. lmao. I see where she's coming from (considering she, too, lost her father to the Bone Criers, and is own her own quest of revenge), but still. That girl is dumb. Literally,

the boy she loves is surrounded by an invisible enemy that only Ailesse can defeat, and she STEALS Ailesse's grace bones and the bone flute??? When she KNOWS she needs them to get rid of said invisible enemy?? I get why she did it (rather, I get that she thought she had reason to do it), but GIRL. Read the ROOM. Priorities, you know?

And honestly istfg if we have a love triangle for book two... we riot at dawn. Hey, fantasy writers! You can write a fantasy book that doesn't have a needless love triangle!! I believe in you! But hey... if she's aiming for a love <i>square</i>... I can get behind that.

I think I'd really like to read a fantasy where the women fight in fucking PANTS. Seriously. The Loreal (jk it's the Leuress(es?)) are a magical clan of literally ALL WOMEN who are BADASS and FIGHT and have an ancient purpose and they still wear dresses? nAH.

I will definitely be picking up book 2, but for the record, I think this book could have made a really strong standalone if Purdie had decided to wrap things up. I can think of plenty of ways this story could have been self-contained within one slightly longer novel, and I also think it could have been even stronger. Alas, I am not the author, so the point is moot.

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