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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
I had very high expectations for Bone Crier’s Moon. The cover clearly played a part in that, but when I read that this was going to be another Dame Blanche retelling with a hate to love romance and the word ‘doom’, I thought I would adore this book.
Alas, somehow this book and I got lost in translation.
Bone Crier’s Moon did have some aspects that fascinated me. I really enjoyed the first quarter of the book, which was rich with the world-building and mythology of the Bone Crier’s. Unfortunately, there’s only so much the world-building can do, and so much page time it can occupy before the characters take over, and sadly the characters just didn’t catch my attention.
Of the three POV characters—Bastien, Ailesse and Sabine—Sabine was the only character I truly liked, though I started having issues with her as well toward the end of the book. One of the general things I disliked about them was that their inner monologues were often repetitive, and they sometimes acted as if this book were intended for a very young YA audience, which felt like a dissonant note to the otherwise dark atmosphere of the story.
Sabine’s chapters were the ones where most of the world-building came through, so it’s no surprise they were the ones I enjoyed the most. But I was also a fan of her inner struggle between the Bone Criers’ expectations for her, her own morality and the lengths she was willing to go in order to rescue Ailesse.
In Ailesse and Bastien’s chapters, we got most of the romance…or the lack thereof. While the book promotes a hate-to-love narrative, what I feel like we got instead was two characters who spent quite some time beating each other up in the first part of the book, a time jump, and then suddenly two characters who have deep feelings for one another. I felt no build-up, no tension, and no reason for Ailesse to suddenly abandon her determination to become a Bone Crier and for Bastien to abandon his desire for vengeance.
Since the majority of the book focused on a romance I was not liking, my enjoyment gradually diminished. It didn’t help that all the secondary characters felt like plot devices rather than necessary players of the story, and that even the villain—who was looking like a very well structured character in the beginning—did not have a satisfying arc.
The resulting feeling is that this book felt like a filler. The plot twists were predictable, the romance was too hastily done and the main plot had seemingly no real impact on the characters’ story. This felt like a giant prologue to what will maybe happen in the second book, but I’m still unsure if the ending was enough to make me want to continue reading.
Alas, somehow this book and I got lost in translation.
Bone Crier’s Moon did have some aspects that fascinated me. I really enjoyed the first quarter of the book, which was rich with the world-building and mythology of the Bone Crier’s. Unfortunately, there’s only so much the world-building can do, and so much page time it can occupy before the characters take over, and sadly the characters just didn’t catch my attention.
Of the three POV characters—Bastien, Ailesse and Sabine—Sabine was the only character I truly liked, though I started having issues with her as well toward the end of the book. One of the general things I disliked about them was that their inner monologues were often repetitive, and they sometimes acted as if this book were intended for a very young YA audience, which felt like a dissonant note to the otherwise dark atmosphere of the story.
Sabine’s chapters were the ones where most of the world-building came through, so it’s no surprise they were the ones I enjoyed the most. But I was also a fan of her inner struggle between the Bone Criers’ expectations for her, her own morality and the lengths she was willing to go in order to rescue Ailesse.
In Ailesse and Bastien’s chapters, we got most of the romance…or the lack thereof. While the book promotes a hate-to-love narrative, what I feel like we got instead was two characters who spent quite some time beating each other up in the first part of the book, a time jump, and then suddenly two characters who have deep feelings for one another. I felt no build-up, no tension, and no reason for Ailesse to suddenly abandon her determination to become a Bone Crier and for Bastien to abandon his desire for vengeance.
Since the majority of the book focused on a romance I was not liking, my enjoyment gradually diminished. It didn’t help that all the secondary characters felt like plot devices rather than necessary players of the story, and that even the villain—who was looking like a very well structured character in the beginning—did not have a satisfying arc.
The resulting feeling is that this book felt like a filler. The plot twists were predictable, the romance was too hastily done and the main plot had seemingly no real impact on the characters’ story. This felt like a giant prologue to what will maybe happen in the second book, but I’m still unsure if the ending was enough to make me want to continue reading.
Dit boek had allerlei elementen wat ik leuk vind om over te lezen; star crossed lovers, magie en sterke karakters. Maar het is net niet 5 sterren omdat de romantiek net niet genoeg naar voren kwam voor mij. Ik vind dat Ailesse en Bastien heel mooi zijn omschreven, het zijn echt complete personages en ik miste niet veel in hun omschrijven, behalve de chemie. Er waren momenten dat ik Ailesse echt als een drama queen zag, en dat is jammer. Sabine daarentegen is mijn favo karakter. Ze is sterk en houdt zich aan haar eigen standpunten. Ook doet ze er alles aan om Ailesse te helpen. De plottwists maken het verhaal echt super gaaf en ik ben zeker benieuwd naar boek 2.
3.5
While I enjoyed reading this, I didn’t absolutely love it but I can’t quite put my finger on why.
The premise was super interesting and I was intrigued throughout the entire story. There was a nice blend of magic and family.
I liked the characters, but I wish there had been more time with them together.
I think that I need to read the sequel ASAP because I can’t see this being something I’ll fully remember in a few weeks.
While I enjoyed reading this, I didn’t absolutely love it but I can’t quite put my finger on why.
The premise was super interesting and I was intrigued throughout the entire story. There was a nice blend of magic and family.
I liked the characters, but I wish there had been more time with them together.
I think that I need to read the sequel ASAP because I can’t see this being something I’ll fully remember in a few weeks.
It wasn't for me. I didn't feel engaged and everything felt like it was moving slow. I actually dreaded reading this book. Any of the characters could've died and I wouldn't have cared. Which isn't good. Even the enemies to lovers felt flat. First book of 2025 was disappointed.
This book was ok! It was a fast read, I’ll give it that. Something about reading on Kindle just makes a book fly by haha. I just wasn’t enraptured in this book. The writing was very repetitive and I found myself wanting to skim through sections. First person in general isn’t my favorite but usually I end up liking some — This just fell flat. It was a lot of telling and not showing imo.
I didn’t care much for the relationship between Ailesse and Bastien. It was pretty quick and for no real purpose. They never really had chemistry and when it was found out he wasn’t her soulmate it was like — ok… so why the connection? Just because she’s pretty he forgot avenging his dad’s death? Just felt a bit off. I didn’t like Jules and Marcel was basic. The only character I truly liked was Sabine because she had the most development.
I don’t care much for the ending being a set-up for the sequel — I think this could’ve sufficed as a stand-alone. It doesn’t seem like the strongest plot line to hold a book, especially since this one was a bit repetitive. I did enjoy the world and the concept of bone crier’s! It was intriguing to read about. It was a quick read, nothing terrible but nothing great!
I didn’t care much for the relationship between Ailesse and Bastien. It was pretty quick and for no real purpose. They never really had chemistry and when it was found out he wasn’t her soulmate it was like — ok… so why the connection? Just because she’s pretty he forgot avenging his dad’s death? Just felt a bit off. I didn’t like Jules and Marcel was basic. The only character I truly liked was Sabine because she had the most development.
I don’t care much for the ending being a set-up for the sequel — I think this could’ve sufficed as a stand-alone. It doesn’t seem like the strongest plot line to hold a book, especially since this one was a bit repetitive. I did enjoy the world and the concept of bone crier’s! It was intriguing to read about. It was a quick read, nothing terrible but nothing great!
Positives:
-Solid world building
-Beautiful cover
Negatives:
-mediocre writing
-uninteresting characters
-Jules
-slow pacing
-character POV changes too frequently
Keep in mind I skimmed the second half because I was bored
-Solid world building
-Beautiful cover
Negatives:
-mediocre writing
-uninteresting characters
-Jules
-slow pacing
-character POV changes too frequently
Keep in mind I skimmed the second half because I was bored
3.2⭐️
I read this as part of a book group. I don’t know if my lack of attachment to it can be attributed to the spread out reading of it. It’s cute. Has a good story line. But... While I’m sure I’ll read the next because there is an end that isn’t finished, I’m not impatient for it.
I read this as part of a book group. I don’t know if my lack of attachment to it can be attributed to the spread out reading of it. It’s cute. Has a good story line. But... While I’m sure I’ll read the next because there is an end that isn’t finished, I’m not impatient for it.