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frantically's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
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 πππππ
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 β and I'm excited to read it.
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 πππππ
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 β and I'm excited to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, War, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Confinement
Minor: Grief, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Death in Childbirth & Infant Death (major spoilers)peridot_kintsugi's review
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.
The stakes are high, and I am very excited for the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gore, and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death, Classism, Confinement, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
bookishmillennial's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
I donβt star rate books but I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not,. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
Pub Date: July 25th
Wren, -a bonesmith who fails her qualifying trial to become a valkyr- gets sent to the Border Wall to serve in disgrace instead.
The forced proximity situation between her and Julian the ironsmith was a lot of fun. I would say this is a bit of enemies-to-lovers situation hehe.
Wren is a bold, risk-taking, fun main character to root for, and the ending plot twist paid off for all of the relentless info dumping and world building.
I will say that for all the exposition, I did find the world really neat. The historical context, all the factions of the "smiths," and more! The vibes are reminiscent of the White Walkers from Game of Thrones.
I'm excited to see how this duology unfolds in the next book!
cw: dead bodies, pregnancy complications, death of a loved one, kidnapping, murder, violence, blood, genocide, gore
cw: dead bodies, pregnancy complications, death of a loved one, kidnapping, murder, violence, blood, genocide, gore
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Body horror, and Genocide
Minor: Death of parent
gummifrog's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
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
This book was a veritable hearty meal of spooky fantasy. Nicki Pau Preto does some heavy lifting in regards to worldbuilding for Bonesmith's unique magic system, political situation, and geography, and still manages to work in a compelling, twisty mystery and a delightfully sweet enemies-to-lovers romance. And that's only scratching the surface in regards to what Bonesmith offers.
Each character in this book is a fully realized, three-dimensional being with understandable motivations and complex internal lives. Every setting is beautifully imagined and vividly described. Bonesmith reads like a movie in your mind - there's never a question as to what's happening, even during frantic action sequences. The romance is as slow burn as can be, with both parties realizing they've been spoon-fed propaganda about each other and learning to trust and respect one another over the course of an epic adventure. And even the side characters, such as Prince Leo, are extremely lovable.
The book is chunky, about 450 pages in my ARC, but I think it's really worth the read. If you like unique magic systems, ghosts, and vivid otherworld fantasy, you'll love this one.
Each character in this book is a fully realized, three-dimensional being with understandable motivations and complex internal lives. Every setting is beautifully imagined and vividly described. Bonesmith reads like a movie in your mind - there's never a question as to what's happening, even during frantic action sequences. The romance is as slow burn as can be, with both parties realizing they've been spoon-fed propaganda about each other and learning to trust and respect one another over the course of an epic adventure. And even the side characters, such as Prince Leo, are extremely lovable.
The book is chunky, about 450 pages in my ARC, but I think it's really worth the read. If you like unique magic systems, ghosts, and vivid otherworld fantasy, you'll love this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, War, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide and Body horror
Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy
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