Scan barcode
kells__bells's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me. The world had so much potential, but it was very cliche and predictable. I enjoyed the supernatural elements in the book, but it felt like the author had all these ideas and couldn’t settle on just one or two. There were a few times that I almost chose to DNF the book because of the author’s choices or writing styles, but I decided to stick it out: (the dogs being murder by the werewolf felt very unnecessary, and I truly despised the author’s choice to use the term “carrot” for Leona’s husband.) I wish this book was a hit more refined because it could've been so much better.
liandrin's review
Truly hated the authorial voice, even though the premise seemed quite interesting.
whatsbridiereading's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Root and Bone follows the Spencer Sisters, Leona and Jewel, as their usually quiet town is rocked by a seemingly unsolvable murder that only the Spencers can get to the bottom of. Expect witchcraft, supernatural creatures, a very 1950s setting and punchy dialogue as the two witches try to manage their family lives, conceal the extent of their powers and avoid the gaze of some heavily religious villagers.
I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book, and I found it a very fast paced read as the mystery unravelled. I very much hope we see a bit more from Jewel's perspective in the series- I love how she used her magic to her advantage unapologetically, compared to Leona's more cautious approach. The plot developed very naturally without over- or under- explanation, and the side characters were just as full of personality as the main characters.
One key selling point of this book is definitely the colloquial writing style- overall I think this was definitely a positive, however some of the phrases and words used didn't work for me ('carrot' being one of them). I also think that while the witchcraft and supernatural aspects of the plot were well developedaside from the 'dark voice' thing , the family side of things felt a bit like it was pushed to the side for convenience. A lot of the more serious topics were glossed over and some of the fairly central characters were just missing for a good part of the book, perhaps to make it easier for the sisters to do their thing. I feel like Granny Kay should have been a lot more helpful, and Bob just conveniently disappeared after telling her about the gambling debt? Also Leona just kind of gave Peggy to her sister and left it at that, which felt a bit too casual to me.
Overall I'd rate this a 3.5 stars, it was an enjoyable read, and I will definitely be reading the next in the series.
I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book, and I found it a very fast paced read as the mystery unravelled. I very much hope we see a bit more from Jewel's perspective in the series- I love how she used her magic to her advantage unapologetically, compared to Leona's more cautious approach. The plot developed very naturally without over- or under- explanation, and the side characters were just as full of personality as the main characters.
One key selling point of this book is definitely the colloquial writing style- overall I think this was definitely a positive, however some of the phrases and words used didn't work for me ('carrot' being one of them). I also think that while the witchcraft and supernatural aspects of the plot were well developed
Overall I'd rate this a 3.5 stars, it was an enjoyable read, and I will definitely be reading the next in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Rape, and Trafficking
Moderate: Sexism
paytonbox21's review
3.5
This book had some good themes of the strength of a woman, specifically back in the days where women were powerless in society. The sister’s bond was the focal point of this story and it made the book good, especially as more supernatural creatures were introduced throughout the book!
The mystery plot was lacking for me, I struggled to connect to it, the way I was concerting with the sister’s family and marriage drama, along with the Galen drama. However, I did like how it all connected in the end! The ghost romance was new to me, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it!
While this wasn’t my favorite paranormal book, I am interested in continuing the series in the future!
The mystery plot was lacking for me, I struggled to connect to it, the way I was concerting with the sister’s family and marriage drama, along with the Galen drama. However, I did like how it all connected in the end! The ghost romance was new to me, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it!
While this wasn’t my favorite paranormal book, I am interested in continuing the series in the future!
reinaerys's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.0
1★
Thank you, NetGalley, for the e-arc of this book.
I'm sad to say I did not enjoy this at all. The description of the book sounded so interesting and fun - a witchy mystery should be perfect for me, right? However, I did not like the execution of it.
In general, there wasn't much I actually liked, to be honest. I enjoyed the ghosts and the descriptions of the ghosts, and… that was it.
The characters felt bland and uninteresting. The only one I kind of liked was Cale, and that might also be because he was a ghost… Both Leona and her sister annoyed me. Everyone in the town annoyed me, actually. Especially the men. Was it necessary? All the violence against women and assault scenes specifically.
The dialogue was… weird. I understand it was supposed to be their regional accent, but why was it missing sometimes? They talked their way and then suddenly normally. Was it on purpose or forgotten?
Overall, I can't say I hated it… I had no strong feelings towards this book except boredom. It literally put me to sleep twice, and I also had to skim most of it to even finish it - it should've been a DNF.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the e-arc of this book.
I'm sad to say I did not enjoy this at all. The description of the book sounded so interesting and fun - a witchy mystery should be perfect for me, right? However, I did not like the execution of it.
In general, there wasn't much I actually liked, to be honest. I enjoyed the ghosts and the descriptions of the ghosts, and… that was it.
The characters felt bland and uninteresting. The only one I kind of liked was Cale, and that might also be because he was a ghost… Both Leona and her sister annoyed me. Everyone in the town annoyed me, actually. Especially the men. Was it necessary? All the violence against women and assault scenes specifically.
The dialogue was… weird. I understand it was supposed to be their regional accent, but why was it missing sometimes? They talked their way and then suddenly normally. Was it on purpose or forgotten?
Overall, I can't say I hated it… I had no strong feelings towards this book except boredom. It literally put me to sleep twice, and I also had to skim most of it to even finish it - it should've been a DNF.
buriedbybooks's review
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
miss_wicca's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I have mixed feelings about this book.
On the one hand I loved it everything this book offered up. The magic, the paranormal, the light dusting of a forbidden romance.
On the other hand I felt like it could have been more. I wanted more character building, I wanted more suspense, I want to have more time with Granny Kay! I just felt like I wanted more. And that leaves room for a sequel, now don't it?
Overall the writing is excellent. I feel like time jumps, especially the larger ones need to be made a bit more apparent, but I still felt like they worked well in the construction of the story.
I really enjoyed the main characters and all the side characters felt well thought out and carefully crafted. I do wish that the main characters flaws and internal turmoil wad a bit more explored and expanded upon.
My only gripe is that I feel the story moves too quickly. That can be a double edged sword, I know, but it just felt like events were really close together and it didn't leave much room for you to process them before something else was happening. That just leads me back to my feelings of wanting more story.
In the end, I liked this story very much and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a pretty quick, cosy-ish thriller read.
4.5/5 👻
On the one hand I loved it everything this book offered up. The magic, the paranormal, the light dusting of a forbidden romance.
On the other hand I felt like it could have been more. I wanted more character building, I wanted more suspense, I want to have more time with Granny Kay! I just felt like I wanted more. And that leaves room for a sequel, now don't it?
Overall the writing is excellent. I feel like time jumps, especially the larger ones need to be made a bit more apparent, but I still felt like they worked well in the construction of the story.
I really enjoyed the main characters and all the side characters felt well thought out and carefully crafted. I do wish that the main characters flaws and internal turmoil wad a bit more explored and expanded upon.
My only gripe is that I feel the story moves too quickly. That can be a double edged sword, I know, but it just felt like events were really close together and it didn't leave much room for you to process them before something else was happening. That just leads me back to my feelings of wanting more story.
In the end, I liked this story very much and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a pretty quick, cosy-ish thriller read.
4.5/5 👻
cassandra226's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved reading this book. It felt like I was reading a Supernatural episode and just loved it. It is just the perfect fall read and was easy to get into and enjoy. I read this as an ebook and will be getting a physical copy once it is released.
dliterate's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Thanks to @curseddragonship for making the ARC of 'Root and Bone' by Jessica Raney available on @netgalley
'Root and Bone' is a contemporary fantasy/horror story, focusing on two sisters, Leona Monroe and Jewel Spencer, whose magic allows them to see what's going on below the surface of their Appalachian home town. When a local woman is brutally murdered, and her ghost appears with murderous intent, the sisters are drawn into the search for her killer - and find themselves coming up against a series of increasingly dangerous foes along the way.
While I wouldn't say that Root and Bone is groundbreaking, I do think it's a solid new addition to this subgenre. The dynamic between Leona and Jewel is well-established, as are their relationships with Leona's ghost companion, Cale. They work well as a trio who are largely situated in contrast to the other characters around them.
Unfortunately, things get a bit messier once you start moving beyond the three main characters. You find yourself immediately dropped into a world where there are supernatural elements present, but the parameters of this world - and its interaction with the non-magical world - are never clearly established. This, combined with the fact that it's never quite made clear what time period the story is situated in (it seems to be the 1950s or 60s, maybe?), made it feel like, as a reader, I was always slightly off-kilter. I hope this is something that later books in the series can address.
Overall, despite some fuzziness in the details of world, I did enjoy the book more than not. I think there's a lot of potential here, if some of the issues with this book can be addressed in the sequels. I'd recommend giving it a go, and will be keeping an eye out for the next instalment in the series.
CWs: mild gore, domestic violence, misogyny, violence
Rating: 3.5
'Root and Bone' will be available for purchase from the 14th of May
'Root and Bone' is a contemporary fantasy/horror story, focusing on two sisters, Leona Monroe and Jewel Spencer, whose magic allows them to see what's going on below the surface of their Appalachian home town. When a local woman is brutally murdered, and her ghost appears with murderous intent, the sisters are drawn into the search for her killer - and find themselves coming up against a series of increasingly dangerous foes along the way.
While I wouldn't say that Root and Bone is groundbreaking, I do think it's a solid new addition to this subgenre. The dynamic between Leona and Jewel is well-established, as are their relationships with Leona's ghost companion, Cale. They work well as a trio who are largely situated in contrast to the other characters around them.
Unfortunately, things get a bit messier once you start moving beyond the three main characters. You find yourself immediately dropped into a world where there are supernatural elements present, but the parameters of this world - and its interaction with the non-magical world - are never clearly established. This, combined with the fact that it's never quite made clear what time period the story is situated in (it seems to be the 1950s or 60s, maybe?), made it feel like, as a reader, I was always slightly off-kilter. I hope this is something that later books in the series can address.
Overall, despite some fuzziness in the details of world, I did enjoy the book more than not. I think there's a lot of potential here, if some of the issues with this book can be addressed in the sequels. I'd recommend giving it a go, and will be keeping an eye out for the next instalment in the series.
CWs: mild gore, domestic violence, misogyny, violence
Rating: 3.5
'Root and Bone' will be available for purchase from the 14th of May
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Domestic abuse
Minor: Gore and Violence