Reviews with content warning for Murder - Bonesmith

Counting down the days to the sequel.

GOD. This was so, so good. I loveee the world building, the characters and especially (because I am a romance reader first and foremost, sue me) the relationship.

Pau Preto creates a magical world with both deep and fascinating history and magical system that still manages to not overwhelm the reader (as so much fantasy has tended to do lately).

I was originally going to write this review being like "I guessed all the twists but it was still fun", I have to admit that while I guessed the major ones (hehe) I actually did *not* guess all the twists. I was very convinced of myself. It was a bit embarrassing. So, unless I'm just dumb, I think even seasoned YA readers will still have some surprises in this! And even if you do guess all of it from the start, for me that wasn't disappointing in the least, the book was still very fun and enjoyable!

Julian and Wren. My babies, my loves, my Romeo and Juliet. These two, you guys, these two. The tension? Unbelievable. The care they have for each other? So high. The constant urge they have to make out even when they're trying to hate each other? Not hidden in the LEAST. They spent a lot of time in the book just with each other (duh) and at times that really felt like a romance novel (with some death involved). They learned to care for the other so quickly, to appreciate and love them and just like them, we were able to forget the outside forces that would tear them apart.

At the end, Julian and Wren and poor ole me were confronted with the real world again and god, did it hurt. Did their choices make sense? ....I guess? doesn't mean I have to like them 😭😭😭😭😭

There's loads of reveals (some of them a bit too convenient for me lmao but that's YA for ya) and Wren's ready for a new chapter in her life – and I'm excited to read it.

Content Warnings

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

A fun YA fantasy action novel - it was action packed and funny where it needed levity. I think it starts a bit slow but builds up to some big reveals that end in a cliffhanger for the next book.

I liked the characters and their banter a lot. I think that the character work saves this from becoming very generic: while there are some cool worldbuilding bits, I think that the plot is definitely reliant on tropes to carry it through. But! It was an enjoyable story all the same.

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scrubsandbooks's review

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adventurous mysterious tense 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

When I saw it comped with Gideon the Ninth, I thought that meant lesbian necromancers. That's not the case. There's one side character who is implied to be bi/pan and that's it. However, bone related powers and magic are my jam so I enjoyed this even with the lack of lesbians! The Game of Thrones comp is far more accurate with the political conflict, twists, and betrayals that are unearthed throughout the story. Also a good enemies to lovers stories with an actual pair of enemies!

I am, however, tired of the trope of grandparent disliking granddaughter for no actual reason except for the circumstances of her deaths and therefore, I had to cut down a star because it made me eye-roll. However, I will still be giving the sequel a chance.

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blakeandbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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leedolee's review

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adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This was one of the most entertaining books I've read in a while! I absolutely loved the world created within the pages and everything to do with the magic. The characters were also fun and I greatly enjoyed the plot that unfolded.

I eagerly look forward to the sequel!

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peridot_kintsugi's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The first 30 percent is pretty boring; this book, among many others in the fantasy genre, is guilty of infodumping the world building a bit. I found the characters likable and the plot interesting enough to keep reading, and it was immensely entertaining after the initial 30 percent. The plot twists were kind of predictable, but in the way that they are plausible and I simply have too much time on my hands for contemplating it.
The stakes are high, and I am very excited for the sequel.

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frand's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I love Nicki Pau Preto's pencil work. Her narrative style is just good and quiet difficult to find on a fantasy book.
I read this book because I fell in love with "Crown of feathers" trilogy, and it captured on the first chapter.
Even tho the story might be predictable, I love how the author actually moves on from cliché storytelling and character development.
As for the book itself, I don't really know what to say without spoiling it. I loved the inner turmoil of the characters and how they navigate through the story to make amends with themselves and what they believe.
Can't wait for the sequel.

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bettysbookishworld's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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!

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