Reviews - A Ship of Bones and Teeth

1.53k reviews for:

A Ship of Bones and Teeth

Karina Halle

3.66 AVERAGE

katvou's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 29%

DNF at 29%

The blurb and premise of this book sounded interesting and I was really excited to read it. I love The Little Mermaid so a retelling mixed with pirates sounded amazing.

But unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I just couldn’t get into the story. The dialogue felt kind of clunky and awkward, and at times too modern for the story.

Thank you Metal Blonde Books & NetGalley for the eARC. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.

amaogan's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad 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 really enjoyed this story! The MCs are truly complex, and their arcs and love story aren’t rushed. I love how the MMC is so open with his feelings in the second half, overall the vulnerability of the characters sucked you in. The sad parts of the book mostly surround deaths, and I did cry for one of them… in some ways, I feel like most of the characters don’t grieve as much as I would expect of them for each death… but it also helps to keep the story moving along. The spice of this book is also perfect in my opinion - I loved how raunchy and yet tender they could be, I loved how assertive and nonyielding the FMC was and how she kept the MMC accountable for all of his actions. Overall, a great read! I’m excited to read the next one about Larimar!

Content Warnings

kathleenverhetsel's review against another edition

3.0

Kijk, als BookTok mij zegt: "Dit boek is een mix tussen De Kleine Zeemeermin en Pirates of the Carribean" dan ga ik dat boek lezen. No brainer.

Het was een goeie mix, dat zeker wel. Zeemeerminnen, piraten, vampieren, zombies, zeeheksen, krakens, de nodige spice, een paar harten die worden uitgerukt en opgegeten,... You name it. Perfecte mix. Ik sta daar helemaal voor open. Vooral de eerste helft van het boek las al een trein, maar toen viel die trein in panne en werd het allemaal nogal slordig.

Naar het einde toe was het alsof ieder hoofdstuk een item was op de checklist van de auteur dat nog moest afgevinkt worden. "Ah ja, dit losse eindje moet nog afgewerkt worden voor ik het boek kan afronden,". En ja, het is fijn dat dit een stand alone is, maar ik was zo geen fan van de laatste 20% van dit boek. Echt niet. Het heeft me dan ook bijzonder veel tijd gekost om die laatste 20% te lezen. Pfoeh.

Soit. Op naar het volgende boek. Misschien ééntje dat me niet extern werd aangeraden, want blijkbaar is dat toch nog steeds geen succesformule voor mij. Nope.

reesie_reads33's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 35%

The mmc was being too much for me

siakura91's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

stinamariereads's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

“The Ship of Bones and Teeth” by Karina Halle is a monster-filled fever dream in the best way possible, and I am absolutely hooked.
This was my first time diving into Karina Halle’s work, and if this book is anything to go by, it certainly won’t be my last. I finished it late last night, and I still can’t stop thinking about it. From the first page to the last, it’s an action-packed, high-stakes, gloriously unhinged ride through dark waters teeming with danger, desire, and the kind of monsters that make you question your morals, in the best way.
Imagine if The Little Mermaid got tangled up with Pirates of the Caribbean after a blood pact with Van Helsing, and then someone cranked up the spice and dialed the horror up to eleven. That’s the vibe. There are krakens. There are vampires. There are pirate ships full of the undead (yes, plural). Sea witches. Curses. And did I mention the Scottish vampire pirate captain? Because yeah. He exists. And I’m still recovering.
Maren, our main character, starts off soft and meek, she’s spent her life playing it safe, but watching her evolve and reclaim her power was so satisfying. She grows teeth, spine, and fire, and she does it in her own time, in her own way. Bones, our monstrous leading man, is exactly what you’d hope a vampire pirate would be: dangerous, magnetic, morally grey, and completely unhinged in the best way. Their chemistry? Off the charts. The spice in this book isn’t just there for flavor, it’s woven into the emotional tension and character arcs in a way that makes it feel earned. (Also, it’s hot. Really hot.)
The world Halle has created here is rich and chaotic in the most captivating way. It’s gothic, salty, soaked in blood and magic, and filled with lore that makes you want to know more. I had the privilege of reading along while listening to the audiobook, and let me just say: it elevated the experience tenfold. The narration is phenomenal, immersive, intense, and absolutely perfect for the tone of the story.
One thing I will note: there are definitely trigger warnings in this book, so please be sure to check them before diving in. But if dark fantasy, morally grey monsters, fierce heroines, and a boatload of spice sound like your thing? Run, don’t walk.
This was a five-star, “keep-me-up-all-night,” scream-into-a-pillow read, and I can’t wait to dive into more of Karina Halle’s books. If The Ship of Bones and Teeth is any indication, I’m in for one hell of a journey.