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stine_reads's review
3.0
*free copy received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This book was fine. I find it difficult to review the books that are in the middle of the spectrum, because I can't put my finger on why I didn't love it very much or why I didn't hate it very much. It just sits there, in the middle.
It was pleasant, funny at times, and I liked the story and the characters. I'd recommend this to others who want a pleasant read.
This book was fine. I find it difficult to review the books that are in the middle of the spectrum, because I can't put my finger on why I didn't love it very much or why I didn't hate it very much. It just sits there, in the middle.
It was pleasant, funny at times, and I liked the story and the characters. I'd recommend this to others who want a pleasant read.
kirkw1972's review
3.0
The blurb really sold me on this book. To be honest I was intrigued just by the notion of an angry unicorn. There’s a lot going on in this book and for the most part it’s enjoyable. It’s got quite a unique plot. I would have liked a bit more backstory for some of the characters and there were a lot of unanswered questions by the end but overall I quite enjoyed this
Free arc by netgalley
Free arc by netgalley
selinadragonair's review
4.0
Wow, this was a crazy and fun trip!
Aggressive unicorns, huldras and hollows with no internal organs, faerys, undead, curses, snakelike lamia, japanese furaribi and the Harvester. What have I gotten into?
The answer is simply put: a darn good adventure.
The author kept me interested from page one until the very end. The writing was fluent and fun. There were so many (actual) mythological creatures to explore and I was glad the author kept reminding me who had internal organs and who didn't and how that affected the characters thoughts and actions. This was really well done. Same goes for worldbuilding and continuity.
I loved the cast of characters and the dynamics between them! What a crazy family the Gallows are, mother is a huldra, father an undead plant faery, hairdesser and bonebreaker Retz has a necromancer in his head and hunter Jarrod has a lot of personal issues. Farris was also adorable, he often made me laugh with his comments and doings. But the most intriguing character for me was Nalem. He had a lot of facets - as expected from an thousand years old necromancer -and I enjoyed that.
Retz being named after an austrian city was a nice extra. Is it really that obvious he has a german name? He should be lucky his parents didn't marry in Böheimkirchen or Afterbach. :D
I very much enjoyed reading "Bones and Bourbon" and I will be back for more.
Aggressive unicorns, huldras and hollows with no internal organs, faerys, undead, curses, snakelike lamia, japanese furaribi and the Harvester. What have I gotten into?
The answer is simply put: a darn good adventure.
The author kept me interested from page one until the very end. The writing was fluent and fun. There were so many (actual) mythological creatures to explore and I was glad the author kept reminding me who had internal organs and who didn't and how that affected the characters thoughts and actions. This was really well done. Same goes for worldbuilding and continuity.
I loved the cast of characters and the dynamics between them! What a crazy family the Gallows are, mother is a huldra, father an undead plant faery, hairdesser and bonebreaker Retz has a necromancer in his head and hunter Jarrod has a lot of personal issues. Farris was also adorable, he often made me laugh with his comments and doings. But the most intriguing character for me was Nalem. He had a lot of facets - as expected from an thousand years old necromancer -and I enjoyed that.
Retz being named after an austrian city was a nice extra. Is it really that obvious he has a german name? He should be lucky his parents didn't marry in Böheimkirchen or Afterbach. :D
I very much enjoyed reading "Bones and Bourbon" and I will be back for more.
the_novel_approach's review
4.0
I’m going to start this one with, if you are looking for a romantic tale with a paranormal plot, this book won’t fit that bill. Though Jarrod does have a boyfriend, Farris, there is no real physical intimacy between them except for some captured moments of cuddles and intimate conversations. But if you are looking for something unlike anything I personally have read before? Read on.
What is this story, then? I honestly don’t know how to describe it for all its individuality, but I’ll do my best without giving too much of the plot away.
Everything that happens here is one gigantic chess game with a ton of different players. Jarrod, Farris, Retz, and Nelam are at the center but are joined by a brother and sister, Aimi and Isamu. They are being moved, pushed, and forced into situations and directions for purposes unformed. I still can’t quite figure out the Harvester, Alexander or the other characters’ schemes, or the end result of everything, but I can tell you that this has got to be the set up for a series because it if isn’t, this story itself is incomplete. There are so many threads and half revealed pieces of the puzzle that remain lingering, as though the story is only at its beginning. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but it does leave so many questions and aspects unresolved. It all seemed to me an introduction to the different players and what could be driving them, but not really showing its hand at the larger picture.
Everything that happens in Bones and Bourbon is set in a moral gray area. Jarrod and Retz aren’t exactly the good guys or the bad guys. Both are bound by circumstances they didn’t have a choice in andare trying to straddle the line of doing right, even if it means doing wrong to get there. But ideas of right and wrong are skewed by their life experiences and influences.
Told in alternating POVs from the brothers, Retz and Jarrod, it is clear that they are both messed up guys. Retz is essentially a slave to Nelam and his machinations, as Nelam has been a constant companion in his head and has had control over his body for as long as he can remember. Nelam, who is an enigma in and of himself, has wreaked havoc on Retz’s ethical compass. Jarrod is controlled by his curse. Unlike Retz, Jarrod genuinely seems a caring, if mistrustful, individual, but is repeatedly put into situations and forced to behave in a way that is morally wrong to him. How does he deal? He drinks. A lot. And keeps everyone, including Farris, at a distance.
Jarrod and Retz are extremely flawed. One is borderline sociopathic in his thoughts and actions, while the other is an alcoholic who knows he is and has no plans to change it. I was more sympathetic to Jarrod, as he seemed to be doing his best with what little free will he had. Retz was a little harder; his personality has been molded by Nelam’s influence. Though he has managed to maintain some sort of emotion and feel regret for Nelam’s actions at times, he is also jaded by his life and his occupant, choosing to roll with it since fighting it results in nothing good for him—and often those around him. He acknowledges he is a freak, and his thoughts on death and taking life are far from the norm, but he accepts there isn’t much that can be done. But then there are moments he does seem effected and does his best to resist. Those are the moments that made Retz’s character stand out for me.
Nelam…. I honestly don’t even know how to describe how I feel about him. His character’s schemes and personality set a huge basis for all the pieces of this adventure, and there is definitely a much larger plotline where he is concerned. There were times when it seemed he genuinely cared for Retz, in his own odd way. But then he managed to completely blow me away with the level of violence and abuse he is able to inflict for his “cause”, and how he explained his actions as justified. He is an enigma. I want to know more, to find out what happened to create such a hardened and cruel individual who also has moments of softness and understanding.
The brothers are apart for a decade, so the reader picks up somewhere in the middle of where it really all began. What starts out as seemingly two different missions leads them back to one another, and events unfold from there. As the story develops, details are revealed as to what occurred to split them apart and how the chain of events thus far has led them to where they are. They have distance in their relationship, and it continues to be there due to their circumstances individually as well as the outside influences treating them as pawns. There is distrust, and rightfully so, yet they do seem to want to save each other. I wouldn’t say there is a lot of emotion between the two (or really anyone) except for doubt, anger and mistrust. Farris seems to be the only one of the four who is capable of showing true caring and support. For that I adored Farris, as he added a lightheartedness to an otherwise dour group, but he is not exactly what he seems either, as more is revealed about him—not a lot but just enough to whet the appetite.
Though there is humor, the story as a whole is definitely on the darker side. It is compelling and kept me on the edge of my seat. The world building is amazing, with a host of supernatural creatures that are rarely used and an interesting take on their abilities and personalities. Unfortunately, it seems the supernatural world is filled with a lot of jerks.
If I had one complaint, it’s that most of the characters don’t have much of an emotional connection. There is some slipped in here and there, but it’s not fully developed, just stolen moments or thoughts. However, there are hints and bonds forming, and through this particular adventure the brothers are reestablishing themselves and getting to know one another again. So, if this is a series (and as I stated previously, it really needs to be) my hope is that more and more of those connections and positive emotions towards one another will make themselves present.
I’ll admit Bones and Bourbon won’t be for everyone. This isn’t a romance. Though there is humor, it is not a comedy. Or for some maybe it could be, but it would to be me classified as a dark comedy. Some of the characters are cruel and abusive. The imagery is gritty and gruesome and sometimes flat out gross. BUT!!!! If you want a wild ride, one you don’t know what is going to happen, one that takes you to surprising places with unique characters who are fleshed out and interesting, one that is amazingly well written with its descriptions, and one that is mostly dark with an unexpected lightness within its conversations, situations and character traits, give it a go. It was quite the journey that I couldn’t seem to put down, and I definitely am up for what happens next with these guys.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
What is this story, then? I honestly don’t know how to describe it for all its individuality, but I’ll do my best without giving too much of the plot away.
Everything that happens here is one gigantic chess game with a ton of different players. Jarrod, Farris, Retz, and Nelam are at the center but are joined by a brother and sister, Aimi and Isamu. They are being moved, pushed, and forced into situations and directions for purposes unformed. I still can’t quite figure out the Harvester, Alexander or the other characters’ schemes, or the end result of everything, but I can tell you that this has got to be the set up for a series because it if isn’t, this story itself is incomplete. There are so many threads and half revealed pieces of the puzzle that remain lingering, as though the story is only at its beginning. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but it does leave so many questions and aspects unresolved. It all seemed to me an introduction to the different players and what could be driving them, but not really showing its hand at the larger picture.
Everything that happens in Bones and Bourbon is set in a moral gray area. Jarrod and Retz aren’t exactly the good guys or the bad guys. Both are bound by circumstances they didn’t have a choice in andare trying to straddle the line of doing right, even if it means doing wrong to get there. But ideas of right and wrong are skewed by their life experiences and influences.
Told in alternating POVs from the brothers, Retz and Jarrod, it is clear that they are both messed up guys. Retz is essentially a slave to Nelam and his machinations, as Nelam has been a constant companion in his head and has had control over his body for as long as he can remember. Nelam, who is an enigma in and of himself, has wreaked havoc on Retz’s ethical compass. Jarrod is controlled by his curse. Unlike Retz, Jarrod genuinely seems a caring, if mistrustful, individual, but is repeatedly put into situations and forced to behave in a way that is morally wrong to him. How does he deal? He drinks. A lot. And keeps everyone, including Farris, at a distance.
Jarrod and Retz are extremely flawed. One is borderline sociopathic in his thoughts and actions, while the other is an alcoholic who knows he is and has no plans to change it. I was more sympathetic to Jarrod, as he seemed to be doing his best with what little free will he had. Retz was a little harder; his personality has been molded by Nelam’s influence. Though he has managed to maintain some sort of emotion and feel regret for Nelam’s actions at times, he is also jaded by his life and his occupant, choosing to roll with it since fighting it results in nothing good for him—and often those around him. He acknowledges he is a freak, and his thoughts on death and taking life are far from the norm, but he accepts there isn’t much that can be done. But then there are moments he does seem effected and does his best to resist. Those are the moments that made Retz’s character stand out for me.
Nelam…. I honestly don’t even know how to describe how I feel about him. His character’s schemes and personality set a huge basis for all the pieces of this adventure, and there is definitely a much larger plotline where he is concerned. There were times when it seemed he genuinely cared for Retz, in his own odd way. But then he managed to completely blow me away with the level of violence and abuse he is able to inflict for his “cause”, and how he explained his actions as justified. He is an enigma. I want to know more, to find out what happened to create such a hardened and cruel individual who also has moments of softness and understanding.
The brothers are apart for a decade, so the reader picks up somewhere in the middle of where it really all began. What starts out as seemingly two different missions leads them back to one another, and events unfold from there. As the story develops, details are revealed as to what occurred to split them apart and how the chain of events thus far has led them to where they are. They have distance in their relationship, and it continues to be there due to their circumstances individually as well as the outside influences treating them as pawns. There is distrust, and rightfully so, yet they do seem to want to save each other. I wouldn’t say there is a lot of emotion between the two (or really anyone) except for doubt, anger and mistrust. Farris seems to be the only one of the four who is capable of showing true caring and support. For that I adored Farris, as he added a lightheartedness to an otherwise dour group, but he is not exactly what he seems either, as more is revealed about him—not a lot but just enough to whet the appetite.
Though there is humor, the story as a whole is definitely on the darker side. It is compelling and kept me on the edge of my seat. The world building is amazing, with a host of supernatural creatures that are rarely used and an interesting take on their abilities and personalities. Unfortunately, it seems the supernatural world is filled with a lot of jerks.
If I had one complaint, it’s that most of the characters don’t have much of an emotional connection. There is some slipped in here and there, but it’s not fully developed, just stolen moments or thoughts. However, there are hints and bonds forming, and through this particular adventure the brothers are reestablishing themselves and getting to know one another again. So, if this is a series (and as I stated previously, it really needs to be) my hope is that more and more of those connections and positive emotions towards one another will make themselves present.
I’ll admit Bones and Bourbon won’t be for everyone. This isn’t a romance. Though there is humor, it is not a comedy. Or for some maybe it could be, but it would to be me classified as a dark comedy. Some of the characters are cruel and abusive. The imagery is gritty and gruesome and sometimes flat out gross. BUT!!!! If you want a wild ride, one you don’t know what is going to happen, one that takes you to surprising places with unique characters who are fleshed out and interesting, one that is amazingly well written with its descriptions, and one that is mostly dark with an unexpected lightness within its conversations, situations and character traits, give it a go. It was quite the journey that I couldn’t seem to put down, and I definitely am up for what happens next with these guys.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
wordsoftheroses's review
3.0
Full review: https://wordsoftheroses.com/2018/07/18/bones-and-bourbon/
This book was such a fun adventure with a wicked sense of humour. It reminded me of an episode of Supernatural if there were fewer angels and demons and you know if The Winchesters were half Fae. The narrative is told in duel, alternating perspectives from the Gallows brother.
Bones and Bourbon is brimming with twisted creatures, a P.T. Barnum style Cabinet of curiosities and all the gore and violence you expect from the original fairy tales. The nods to different cultures and classic folktales are sprinkled throughout. Overall this was a really fun book and I adore that the fantastical creatures were lesser know and from a wide variety of cultures. Would be interested in seeing where the Gallows brothers end up next.
This book was such a fun adventure with a wicked sense of humour. It reminded me of an episode of Supernatural if there were fewer angels and demons and you know if The Winchesters were half Fae. The narrative is told in duel, alternating perspectives from the Gallows brother.
Bones and Bourbon is brimming with twisted creatures, a P.T. Barnum style Cabinet of curiosities and all the gore and violence you expect from the original fairy tales. The nods to different cultures and classic folktales are sprinkled throughout. Overall this was a really fun book and I adore that the fantastical creatures were lesser know and from a wide variety of cultures. Would be interested in seeing where the Gallows brothers end up next.
jpjackson's review
5.0
4.5 Stars
This is one tasty tale. Very dark, smeared with blood, riddled with violence and a portrayal of the Fae exactly as they should be; sinister and deadly - occasionally kind, but usually with an asking price. Of note - if you're a unicorn fan - buyer beware. These one horned wonders are deadly beasts, and our main characters dispose of them with deadly accuracy.
So what's it all about?
The story sways back and forth between two brothers, Jarrod and Retz. Both are Fae born, being half human and half Huldra.
STOP.
Wait...
What?
What the hell is a Huldra? Here, read this: http://spangenhelm.com/huldra-folklore-lady-forest/
Exactly. Extra credit points to Graves. Whenever I pick up a book promising tales of Fae creatures we are usually treated to the normal fare: Elves, Faeries, Gnomes, and Trolls - the creatures we have come to be familiar with. We are also quite often treated to werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and witches. And there's nothing wrong with that - but that's not this book. This is all new kids. This takes Fae creatures from vastly different cultures than ours and plants them squarely into our world. My ignorance of such beings gave this novel a surprising amount of 'newness'.
Ever heard of Furaribi? Well, I hadn't either! Turns out, they are Japanese in origin. Have a look: http://yokai.wikia.com/wiki/Furaribi
I was completely smitten with this aspect of the book. Finally, something completely different. And so clever! As Hulderkind these two brothers have genetic traits that mark them as not being human, but also not entirely Fae either. For instance, Jarrod - well, he's got brute strength, a tail, and heals remarkably fast, but he retained all of his inner organs - oh, and he's Transgender too. His brother, on the other hand, Retz is hollow, like his mother - although he does have a skeleton - but doesn't have the tail. He is even more remarkable in that he plays host to another creature. That's right, Retz is possessed. And what makes it even more interesting, is that Nalem, the King of Bones, can take over Retz's body and that's where the whole tale starts.
Retz wakes up after his possessor releases him, only to find himself driving a car, with a Unicorn head (that's still alive) bouncing around in the passenger seat. Never mind the Unicorn is trying to kill him. That's beside the point.
The whole book is like this. Steeped with twisted creatures, attempting to do the impossible tasks - like taking down a lamia and her menagerie of Fae captives - all while trying to satisfy the brother's father, Alexander, who sometime in the past, gave up his humanity and became Fae - a plant-based creature.
The novel is written with gorgeous visuals, bizarre twists, and at times is as gruesome as the original Grimm's Fairy Tales. Imagine a train created out of flesh and blood, lacking a brain, and regularly spraying blood from a split vein? After all, it's creator is Nalem's sister, Vairi, who is Bloody Mary.
If you're on the prowl for different, check this out! And it looks like Graves is making a cluster out of this as Bones and Bourbon is book number one in the Deadly Drinks series.
Well done!
This is one tasty tale. Very dark, smeared with blood, riddled with violence and a portrayal of the Fae exactly as they should be; sinister and deadly - occasionally kind, but usually with an asking price. Of note - if you're a unicorn fan - buyer beware. These one horned wonders are deadly beasts, and our main characters dispose of them with deadly accuracy.
So what's it all about?
The story sways back and forth between two brothers, Jarrod and Retz. Both are Fae born, being half human and half Huldra.
STOP.
Wait...
What?
What the hell is a Huldra? Here, read this: http://spangenhelm.com/huldra-folklore-lady-forest/
Exactly. Extra credit points to Graves. Whenever I pick up a book promising tales of Fae creatures we are usually treated to the normal fare: Elves, Faeries, Gnomes, and Trolls - the creatures we have come to be familiar with. We are also quite often treated to werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and witches. And there's nothing wrong with that - but that's not this book. This is all new kids. This takes Fae creatures from vastly different cultures than ours and plants them squarely into our world. My ignorance of such beings gave this novel a surprising amount of 'newness'.
Ever heard of Furaribi? Well, I hadn't either! Turns out, they are Japanese in origin. Have a look: http://yokai.wikia.com/wiki/Furaribi
I was completely smitten with this aspect of the book. Finally, something completely different. And so clever! As Hulderkind these two brothers have genetic traits that mark them as not being human, but also not entirely Fae either. For instance, Jarrod - well, he's got brute strength, a tail, and heals remarkably fast, but he retained all of his inner organs - oh, and he's Transgender too. His brother, on the other hand, Retz is hollow, like his mother - although he does have a skeleton - but doesn't have the tail. He is even more remarkable in that he plays host to another creature. That's right, Retz is possessed. And what makes it even more interesting, is that Nalem, the King of Bones, can take over Retz's body and that's where the whole tale starts.
Retz wakes up after his possessor releases him, only to find himself driving a car, with a Unicorn head (that's still alive) bouncing around in the passenger seat. Never mind the Unicorn is trying to kill him. That's beside the point.
The whole book is like this. Steeped with twisted creatures, attempting to do the impossible tasks - like taking down a lamia and her menagerie of Fae captives - all while trying to satisfy the brother's father, Alexander, who sometime in the past, gave up his humanity and became Fae - a plant-based creature.
The novel is written with gorgeous visuals, bizarre twists, and at times is as gruesome as the original Grimm's Fairy Tales. Imagine a train created out of flesh and blood, lacking a brain, and regularly spraying blood from a split vein? After all, it's creator is Nalem's sister, Vairi, who is Bloody Mary.
If you're on the prowl for different, check this out! And it looks like Graves is making a cluster out of this as Bones and Bourbon is book number one in the Deadly Drinks series.
Well done!
adancewithbooks's review
4.0
When I started this book I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. I try not to read too much of the synopsis or to remember that much of it. I think the first 50 pages or so were a little rocky for me because of that but after that I was completely drawn into the story and I can’t wait to see if there is going to be more in this world and the Gallow Brothers.
Bones and Bourbon is told in two first person point of views. One is Retz, a half-huldra who is sharing his body with a necromancing spirit. The second is his brother Jarod who is also half-huldra with a faerie curse. The two haven’t seen each other in 10 years when supernatural life throws them together for some scheming.
One of the reasons I needed some settling was the world. There are a lot of different kind of supernatural creatures coming forward that I had never heard of. For instance huldra or hulder. I had no idea what that was. In case you were wondering, huldra comes from norse mythology and is a female that with a cow tail. It is suspected there is a whole race of them though. In this book huldra are more expanded on, given extra strength and speed for instance.
I ended up loving how everything was created though through the supernatural creatures. Unicorns for instance are not quite so bright, sparkly and full of goodness in this book. It was fantastic. I want one. The author clearly created their own image of all these creatures and myths, and worked them into the book really well. There are also more worlds than ours. That was a little more confusing but we got the information we needed. For this book anyway. There is a lot of room to be expanded on and I think at least Nalem would scream in the void forever if there wasn’t another book. Or worse.
Character wise, these guys really grew on me. Retz on his own isn’t quite so interesting but when you throw Nalem into the mix, the necromancing spirit, you get a lot of chaos. It was interesting to see their interactions, Nalem’s wants and in a way lack of control as he is stuck in someone’s body. I think I actually liked him best. Bitter revengeful little spirit. My favorite.
But I was also drawn to Jarrod in a way. He is a lot more closed off because of the situation he is in and doesn’t even tell his boyfriend everything. Jarrod is also a transsexual. Rep wise I of course have little experience with this, but from what I could see I think the rep was done well. Farris, his boyfriend, is a bit of a mystery, even from himself because he doesn’t remember anything about his previous life. We do get to know a bit nearing the end but a lot remains a secret. He is a bit of an oddball but he also reliefs a lot of tension without becoming the clown of the book.
All in all I am very pleased I found this book on Netgalley and I can’t wait to see more from this author.
Bones and Bourbon is told in two first person point of views. One is Retz, a half-huldra who is sharing his body with a necromancing spirit. The second is his brother Jarod who is also half-huldra with a faerie curse. The two haven’t seen each other in 10 years when supernatural life throws them together for some scheming.
One of the reasons I needed some settling was the world. There are a lot of different kind of supernatural creatures coming forward that I had never heard of. For instance huldra or hulder. I had no idea what that was. In case you were wondering, huldra comes from norse mythology and is a female that with a cow tail. It is suspected there is a whole race of them though. In this book huldra are more expanded on, given extra strength and speed for instance.
I ended up loving how everything was created though through the supernatural creatures. Unicorns for instance are not quite so bright, sparkly and full of goodness in this book. It was fantastic. I want one. The author clearly created their own image of all these creatures and myths, and worked them into the book really well. There are also more worlds than ours. That was a little more confusing but we got the information we needed. For this book anyway. There is a lot of room to be expanded on and I think at least Nalem would scream in the void forever if there wasn’t another book. Or worse.
Character wise, these guys really grew on me. Retz on his own isn’t quite so interesting but when you throw Nalem into the mix, the necromancing spirit, you get a lot of chaos. It was interesting to see their interactions, Nalem’s wants and in a way lack of control as he is stuck in someone’s body. I think I actually liked him best. Bitter revengeful little spirit. My favorite.
But I was also drawn to Jarrod in a way. He is a lot more closed off because of the situation he is in and doesn’t even tell his boyfriend everything. Jarrod is also a transsexual. Rep wise I of course have little experience with this, but from what I could see I think the rep was done well. Farris, his boyfriend, is a bit of a mystery, even from himself because he doesn’t remember anything about his previous life. We do get to know a bit nearing the end but a lot remains a secret. He is a bit of an oddball but he also reliefs a lot of tension without becoming the clown of the book.
All in all I am very pleased I found this book on Netgalley and I can’t wait to see more from this author.
dawnvogel's review
5.0
(This review originally appeared at Mad Scientist Journal.)
Bones and Bourbon by Dorian Graves is a wonderful take on the urban fantasy genre. Chronicling the adventures of brothers Retz and Jarrod Gallows, this book is equal parts hilarious and a great commentary on the trials and tribulations of families.
Retz and Jarrod Gallows are both hulderkind, with one mortal parent and one huldra parent. But while Jarrod simply has the increased strength and stamina of the huldra, Retz has far more problems than just his missing internal organs. He’s got a spiritual co-pilot, a creature named Nalem who gives him the abilities to control bones but also sometimes causes him serious headaches. Add in an amnesiac who doesn’t like guns, a couple of furaribi, some Fae and other supernatural creatures, and carnivorous vengeful unicorns, and you’ve got a cast perfect for this rollicking tale.
If I had one complaint about the book, it was that the story switched between Retz and Jarrod’s points of view. The way it did so made a lot of sense, but it meant that if I wasn’t keeping close track of which brother’s perspective I was on at any given moment, I sometimes was confused. However, reading a little further always cleared up the question—the two brothers are written with distinct voices, and it was only my lack of focus that confused me.
If you’re a fan of Supernatural, but you wish they had done less queer-baiting and included more actual queer content, you’re going to love Bones and Bourbon. I’d also recommend this book to fans of The Dresden Files who want their heroes to be a little less average white guy and a lot more interesting.
The author provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
Bones and Bourbon by Dorian Graves is a wonderful take on the urban fantasy genre. Chronicling the adventures of brothers Retz and Jarrod Gallows, this book is equal parts hilarious and a great commentary on the trials and tribulations of families.
Retz and Jarrod Gallows are both hulderkind, with one mortal parent and one huldra parent. But while Jarrod simply has the increased strength and stamina of the huldra, Retz has far more problems than just his missing internal organs. He’s got a spiritual co-pilot, a creature named Nalem who gives him the abilities to control bones but also sometimes causes him serious headaches. Add in an amnesiac who doesn’t like guns, a couple of furaribi, some Fae and other supernatural creatures, and carnivorous vengeful unicorns, and you’ve got a cast perfect for this rollicking tale.
If I had one complaint about the book, it was that the story switched between Retz and Jarrod’s points of view. The way it did so made a lot of sense, but it meant that if I wasn’t keeping close track of which brother’s perspective I was on at any given moment, I sometimes was confused. However, reading a little further always cleared up the question—the two brothers are written with distinct voices, and it was only my lack of focus that confused me.
If you’re a fan of Supernatural, but you wish they had done less queer-baiting and included more actual queer content, you’re going to love Bones and Bourbon. I’d also recommend this book to fans of The Dresden Files who want their heroes to be a little less average white guy and a lot more interesting.
The author provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
ian's review
5.0
This book is a treat. The two point of view characters are the Gallows brothers, who haven't seen each other in about ten years, since they were kids. Their father's machinations from behind the scene send their paths colliding together near the start of the book. I read a lot, but this story managed to keep me on my toes.
In order to help two Furaribi (Phoenix-like creatures) get away from a Lamia zoo, the brothers have to face down fairie, their father, and a pack of murderous unicorn. And hopefully help the older brother's boyfriend get back his lost memories at the same time.
In order to help two Furaribi (Phoenix-like creatures) get away from a Lamia zoo, the brothers have to face down fairie, their father, and a pack of murderous unicorn. And hopefully help the older brother's boyfriend get back his lost memories at the same time.
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