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Ossuary
Work as a Curse Breaker is anything but glamorous. It’s difficult, gruesome at times, and it takes Curse Breaker Thierry Pryor to places better left untouched. The Paris Catacombs were once a symbol of French identity, the true sign of death making all equal in the end, but after centuries of layered spell work, ancient hexes, and more than one hastily patched protective charm, the resulting magical amalgam has begun to break down, tainting the surrounding land. It’s up to Thierry and his team to figure out the source of the miasma and quell it before it begins having an effect on those living above the city of the dead. But unlike the jobs before, there’s something at work in the catacombs much more sinister than some moldering family curse. Sometimes the dead sleep more soundly than the living, but then again, maybe some of the dead don’t sleep willingly at all...
174 pages, Paperback
Published February 14, 2023
77 people are currently reading
525 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 31, 2024
I liked the idea but the childish antics between the characters gave me Harry Potter fanfic vibes which I didn't care for and I wasn't sure if these characters were 14 or 34.
Neutral 2.5 rounded up.
Neutral 2.5 rounded up.
May 17, 2023
Content Warnings: Emetophobia, blood draining, broken necks, childhood trauma (neglect)
Four curse-breakers venture into the Paris catacombs to do a bit of clean up. Spells decay over time and someone has to clear the frenzied magic. One such curse-breaker is Thierry Pryor, cursed with a family legacy he’d rather keep under wraps. His companions for this next venture are a novice, his schoolyard bully, and a manager more suited to the office than the field. When spells go awry and a tunnel collapses, gothic delights ensue and we learn the truth of what haunts Thierry both figuratively and literally. Steeped in magic and the gothic, both in mood and theme, a quick read that’s an absolute delight.
I really enjoyed how Cloud depicted the magic. There’s a clear sense of heft and consequence, where magic is something that affects the caster as much as it does the target of the spell. There is wand work with a focus on intention and outcome, rather than saying an incantation. The rules are set organically, and it’s easy for the reader to tell when things go wrong, particularly with how visceral the experience of casting magic is.
The atmosphere itself is claustrophobic, as one might expect from a tunnel story. The way Cloud describes the darkness raises the tension as much as the uncertainty. Plus, I found Thierry so captivating as a character. There’s a clear sense of backstory and this is definitely a work for those who are fans of professional competency stymied by office politics and bureaucratic nonsense. The character interactions are as stressful as the horror, and I really enjoyed how it comes together in the very end.
A really good read for a chilly afternoon with a warm mug of bitter tea. Claustrophobic, erotic, and goth with a surprising ending that makes me excited for more of this world and its characters.
Four curse-breakers venture into the Paris catacombs to do a bit of clean up. Spells decay over time and someone has to clear the frenzied magic. One such curse-breaker is Thierry Pryor, cursed with a family legacy he’d rather keep under wraps. His companions for this next venture are a novice, his schoolyard bully, and a manager more suited to the office than the field. When spells go awry and a tunnel collapses, gothic delights ensue and we learn the truth of what haunts Thierry both figuratively and literally. Steeped in magic and the gothic, both in mood and theme, a quick read that’s an absolute delight.
I really enjoyed how Cloud depicted the magic. There’s a clear sense of heft and consequence, where magic is something that affects the caster as much as it does the target of the spell. There is wand work with a focus on intention and outcome, rather than saying an incantation. The rules are set organically, and it’s easy for the reader to tell when things go wrong, particularly with how visceral the experience of casting magic is.
The atmosphere itself is claustrophobic, as one might expect from a tunnel story. The way Cloud describes the darkness raises the tension as much as the uncertainty. Plus, I found Thierry so captivating as a character. There’s a clear sense of backstory and this is definitely a work for those who are fans of professional competency stymied by office politics and bureaucratic nonsense. The character interactions are as stressful as the horror, and I really enjoyed how it comes together in the very end.
A really good read for a chilly afternoon with a warm mug of bitter tea. Claustrophobic, erotic, and goth with a surprising ending that makes me excited for more of this world and its characters.
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June 29, 2023This is just too Harry Potter-esque for me at the moment - the wands, Curse Breaker at various national monuments as a government job, the Platform 9 3/4 of it all, the distinctive red hair, the bully from boarding school with the distinctive blond hair, the wands, the exact way magic works… it’s hard to focus on the story when I’m trying to guess which serial numbers were filed off where. DNF @ 19%.
May 11, 2024
5/5 CHANGED MY ENTIRE BRAIN CHEMISTRY
dnf
January 22, 2025dnf @ 14%
Yeah no. I wanted to get farther to see the horror aspects, but this beginning was just so bad that I couldn't.
One thing that was a me problem was how aggressively magician this story was. I didn't realize it was gonna be like that and I don't like it.
Now turning it back on the book, there was no reason for it to be written like that though. I saw a review saying these immature adult characters were just H*rry P*tter ripoffs and god were they (and the vibes of the world too, damn). If I wanted to read transphobia, the fan fiction, I have other options.
I don't know anything about this author, but I can tell you that they are NOT British (neither am I but not the point). These characters speak like they're in a cartoon and it was unbearable. I'm all for making fun of Europeans, but making the characters say bs like "That's scrumptious!" "Having a jolly good time govna" (paraphrasing bc I stopped reading this like 10 days ago and idc to go back) in full seriousness was actually the worst.
Yeah no. I wanted to get farther to see the horror aspects, but this beginning was just so bad that I couldn't.
One thing that was a me problem was how aggressively magician this story was. I didn't realize it was gonna be like that and I don't like it.
Now turning it back on the book, there was no reason for it to be written like that though. I saw a review saying these immature adult characters were just H*rry P*tter ripoffs and god were they (and the vibes of the world too, damn). If I wanted to read transphobia, the fan fiction, I have other options.
I don't know anything about this author, but I can tell you that they are NOT British (neither am I but not the point). These characters speak like they're in a cartoon and it was unbearable. I'm all for making fun of Europeans, but making the characters say bs like "That's scrumptious!" "Having a jolly good time govna" (paraphrasing bc I stopped reading this like 10 days ago and idc to go back) in full seriousness was actually the worst.
March 25, 2023
I loved this. Thierry is a witchy boy and a Sad Boy TM, so that’s perfection in and of itself. Plot heavy, and the romance(?) definitely takes a back seat. But boy, once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.
Is this a romance book? Not really? Maybe? It’s a horror book, with a love story and a HFN with a big question mark tacked on it and a promise for the horror to continue in the next book. So, I’m looking forward to when that comes out, and how things develop on the romance.
Is this a romance book? Not really? Maybe? It’s a horror book, with a love story and a HFN with a big question mark tacked on it and a promise for the horror to continue in the next book. So, I’m looking forward to when that comes out, and how things develop on the romance.
January 10, 2025
very slow start for such a short book but around 40% the book changes. things get .... sticky. a dark, damp, keening inhuman hunger in a dank horror and full of blood-slick revenge. there's an atmospheric oppressive aura that closes in around you in calculated steps as thierry begins to understand his life and journey no longer in broad strokes, but in critical moments with jarring clarity. given the chance to kill your abusers and the complicit... wouldn't you take it?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2025
I honestly was having a great time for the first ~60% and then I feel like I just didn’t love the turn. The ending was sufficient, but overall it left me feeling unsatisfied somehow. Maybe it’s because it was short idk… but the imagery was the best part and did a great job of setting up a creepy scene.
November 17, 2025
2.5⭐️ the beginning felt way to long to just introduce what was happening. I love anything about the catacombs but the ending really made me excited to read the next
July 1, 2023
Another amazing work by T.D. Cloud. Seriously, none of their work has ever disappointed and Ossuary is no exception. A darker, more horrifying work than their usual fare, but just as well written and powerful as their full length novels.
Thierry Pryor is a witch whose family previously hunted monsters, including vampires, and practiced dark magic. Even though Thierry does none of these things and his parents mostly kept him away from previous generations in an attempt to separate themselves from the sordid history of the Pryor name, Thierry is still an outcast and seen as a bomb waiting to blow. Everyone fears he will go dark eventually and ignores him at best and bullies him at worst.
This story involves Thierry going into the catacombs with three others; new witch Manon, head witch Basile, and witch Hippolyte. Honestly, I ended up hating them all. Hippolyte for his horrible treatment and lies about Thierry, Manon for being a gullible little girl and being sucked in by Hippolyte’s scummy charm, and Basile for being unable to have a backbone and be an impartial leader. I truly thought they deserved what happened to them in the end.
I don’t want to go into the story too much for fear of spoiling anything because it’s such a short read, but let’s just say that things, obviously, don’t go as planned and quickly descend into chaos and it gets bloody fast. I very much enjoyed the story for what was in the catacombs and why, how it relates aback to Thierry, and why Thierry is basically safe from what’s happening.
Thierry Pryor is a witch whose family previously hunted monsters, including vampires, and practiced dark magic. Even though Thierry does none of these things and his parents mostly kept him away from previous generations in an attempt to separate themselves from the sordid history of the Pryor name, Thierry is still an outcast and seen as a bomb waiting to blow. Everyone fears he will go dark eventually and ignores him at best and bullies him at worst.
This story involves Thierry going into the catacombs with three others; new witch Manon, head witch Basile, and witch Hippolyte. Honestly, I ended up hating them all. Hippolyte for his horrible treatment and lies about Thierry, Manon for being a gullible little girl and being sucked in by Hippolyte’s scummy charm, and Basile for being unable to have a backbone and be an impartial leader. I truly thought they deserved what happened to them in the end.
I don’t want to go into the story too much for fear of spoiling anything because it’s such a short read, but let’s just say that things, obviously, don’t go as planned and quickly descend into chaos and it gets bloody fast. I very much enjoyed the story for what was in the catacombs and why, how it relates aback to Thierry, and why Thierry is basically safe from what’s happening.
December 30, 2024
Ossuary by T.D. Cloud is about a group of witches that specialize as curse breakers and their attempts at dealing with something within the Parisian catacombs.
Thoughts while reading:
-The writing is strong, though it reads like HP fanfiction with the names changed (I say as someone who has read too much HP fanfiction)
-I like the characterization and the sense of tension between the various curse breakers
-The descriptions are well written and the language is evocative
-I feel like this story is missing something. I’m not very invested in Thierry, so although the scenes are described as tense, I’m not particularly worried about his fate. His rivalry with Hippolyte is more interesting, so there’s more tension in his career struggles, but once they come across the vampire, it feels like the story shifts to something else. If the story is about the struggles with the vampire, there should have been more focus on Thierry's family’s past
-I really like this conception of vampires, and how they are filled with particular obsession that is often their weakness
While the language was lovely, I still feel like this story was missing something. The horror didn't really hit for me, and I feel like the story should have developed Thierry, the main character, a bit more. I would give it a 3 out of 5
Thoughts while reading:
-The writing is strong, though it reads like HP fanfiction with the names changed (I say as someone who has read too much HP fanfiction)
-I like the characterization and the sense of tension between the various curse breakers
-The descriptions are well written and the language is evocative
-I feel like this story is missing something. I’m not very invested in Thierry, so although the scenes are described as tense, I’m not particularly worried about his fate. His rivalry with Hippolyte is more interesting, so there’s more tension in his career struggles, but once they come across the vampire, it feels like the story shifts to something else. If the story is about the struggles with the vampire, there should have been more focus on Thierry's family’s past
-I really like this conception of vampires, and how they are filled with particular obsession that is often their weakness
While the language was lovely, I still feel like this story was missing something. The horror didn't really hit for me, and I feel like the story should have developed Thierry, the main character, a bit more. I would give it a 3 out of 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2025
I was able to engage in immersive reading with this! That has been a real struggle for me lately, and zi have missed it.
I thought it was fun and interesting, though bleak. I didn't find it very scary, though for some reason Manon really stressed me out.
I have to admit I bounced off HP when I tried to read it like 20+ years ago so may be missing the "it's HP fanfic" clues others point out. But like, I really didn't pick up on them. Two of the characters went to private school together, where they had a bully/prey relationship and there is magic. But ... It's urban fantasy? The terf queen wrote really derivative middle grade urban fantasy, she didn't invent the genre?
I also found the characters recognizable - they're not fully fleshed out, and serve more as archetypes, but I could name real people off the top of my head that I was reminded of. Except maybe the yandere vampire.
Anyway, while I disagree with most of the negative reviews I saw for this, it is atmospheric and moody in a way I don't think is for everybody. I enjoyed it though.
I thought it was fun and interesting, though bleak. I didn't find it very scary, though for some reason Manon really stressed me out.
I have to admit I bounced off HP when I tried to read it like 20+ years ago so may be missing the "it's HP fanfic" clues others point out. But like, I really didn't pick up on them. Two of the characters went to private school together, where they had a bully/prey relationship and there is magic. But ... It's urban fantasy? The terf queen wrote really derivative middle grade urban fantasy, she didn't invent the genre?
I also found the characters recognizable - they're not fully fleshed out, and serve more as archetypes, but I could name real people off the top of my head that I was reminded of. Except maybe the yandere vampire.
Anyway, while I disagree with most of the negative reviews I saw for this, it is atmospheric and moody in a way I don't think is for everybody. I enjoyed it though.
May 1, 2025
Short little novella in which ultimately nothing really happened. Art is stunning gorgeous and the idea was really fun, but the characters were a bit unbelievable at times, and the main character is so spineless it kills me. Like I don’t like him, and not because of the reason the other characters didn’t like him, which still feels a bit far fetched imo. Like idk he’s not dangerous, and the fact that everyone treats him that way with the basis they have (no spoilers sorry) just feels unlikely. He’s just like a worm he’s just there in the dirt.
And I was hoping this would be spookier/gorier based on the acknowledgements section at the beginning. I let myself down with that one I guess.
I’d read the next one when it comes out just to complete the story, bc I’m kind of itching for a character redemption arc or something, and it was extremely decent for a self published author! If you like vampires/crypts/magic maybe check it out, maybe don’t idk whatever u want
And I was hoping this would be spookier/gorier based on the acknowledgements section at the beginning. I let myself down with that one I guess.
I’d read the next one when it comes out just to complete the story, bc I’m kind of itching for a character redemption arc or something, and it was extremely decent for a self published author! If you like vampires/crypts/magic maybe check it out, maybe don’t idk whatever u want
August 7, 2025
To begin, I want to say I won this book from a giveaway so thank you!!
This book first peaked my interest due to its involvement with the catacombs. In the beginning I had mixed emotions about all the character’s and the plot. It didn’t seem to be really going anywhere. There were a few creepy moments, but I wasn’t felling entirely captivated about the story. However, my mind completely changed midway through the book when all the action really started to happen. I felt stressed, annoyed, excited, and worried all at once. I was really able to get a deeper look into the main characters mindset and their overall lore. Thierry (the main character) switch of emotions was very well done and had me second guessing what his next move was going to be every turn of a page. I find the authors writing style to be appealing and will be diving more into his other novels!
This book first peaked my interest due to its involvement with the catacombs. In the beginning I had mixed emotions about all the character’s and the plot. It didn’t seem to be really going anywhere. There were a few creepy moments, but I wasn’t felling entirely captivated about the story. However, my mind completely changed midway through the book when all the action really started to happen. I felt stressed, annoyed, excited, and worried all at once. I was really able to get a deeper look into the main characters mindset and their overall lore. Thierry (the main character) switch of emotions was very well done and had me second guessing what his next move was going to be every turn of a page. I find the authors writing style to be appealing and will be diving more into his other novels!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2025
Please read this book!! I loved it from beginning to end, and wands have been a part of magic far longer than a single author popularized. Even if the squabbles started petty-seeming enough, if you read past the very beginning, you see the truth of it: these characters and their struggles are written in the same way that REAL HUMANS have struggles. We all have petty arguments that have more underneath them than is immediately visible.
I had no idea this book had been so maligned on here because I love it so much. To all the DNFers--learn the history of wands and get some new books to read, LIKE THIS ONE.
I had no idea this book had been so maligned on here because I love it so much. To all the DNFers--learn the history of wands and get some new books to read, LIKE THIS ONE.
January 7, 2025
2.5⭐️
Non mi ha fatto impazzire , era partito bene e penso ci sia del potenziale a livello di storia poi ho quasi trovato affrettato il finale e ho fatto fatica a starci dietro , l ho trovato un po insensato e tagliato via
Una storia interessante comunque nelle catacombe di Parigi, vampiri e personaggi particolari e ambigui ... lettura tutto sommato scorrevole , peccato per il finale :( ma credo la saga prosegua quindi magari mi ricrederò e tutto verrà approfondito
Non mi ha fatto impazzire , era partito bene e penso ci sia del potenziale a livello di storia poi ho quasi trovato affrettato il finale e ho fatto fatica a starci dietro , l ho trovato un po insensato e tagliato via
Una storia interessante comunque nelle catacombe di Parigi, vampiri e personaggi particolari e ambigui ... lettura tutto sommato scorrevole , peccato per il finale :( ma credo la saga prosegua quindi magari mi ricrederò e tutto verrà approfondito
January 18, 2025
Meh.
It was alright, really short. I liked the writing style well enough (even though it was overly descriptive in some aspects, especially for how short the book is). The characters weren't all that well fleshed out or likeable (our main character is a grumpy "loser", there is a bully, there is a nerd, and the only woman in the group is a total duntz). But i did like the turn the story ended up taking in the end.
It was alright, really short. I liked the writing style well enough (even though it was overly descriptive in some aspects, especially for how short the book is). The characters weren't all that well fleshed out or likeable (our main character is a grumpy "loser", there is a bully, there is a nerd, and the only woman in the group is a total duntz). But i did like the turn the story ended up taking in the end.
January 28, 2025
This didn't end like how I thought it would.
I'm quite sad ngl. Halfway through the book, I was thinking about giving it either 5 or 4 stars, and then suddenly I wasn't even thinking when pressing those 2 stars.
I have no idea what this was. I got it 'cause the site I got it from during a SYKD said it's dark fantasy horror. And then it became a romance? Emphasis on the question mark because it certainly wasn't a romance. I'm so disappointed, I hoped I'd love this.
I'm quite sad ngl. Halfway through the book, I was thinking about giving it either 5 or 4 stars, and then suddenly I wasn't even thinking when pressing those 2 stars.
I have no idea what this was. I got it 'cause the site I got it from during a SYKD said it's dark fantasy horror. And then it became a romance? Emphasis on the question mark because it certainly wasn't a romance. I'm so disappointed, I hoped I'd love this.
March 21, 2023
Wow - Just Wow
I'm not sure what I was expecting but I don't think I was expecting something this deeply intriguing and with such rich writing. This has got to be my favorite take on vampires in AGES, and my only complaint is that out was short and now I have to wait for the next one! I couldn't put it down!
I'm not sure what I was expecting but I don't think I was expecting something this deeply intriguing and with such rich writing. This has got to be my favorite take on vampires in AGES, and my only complaint is that out was short and now I have to wait for the next one! I couldn't put it down!
December 10, 2024
4.5 stars
This was far from what I expected and I am delighted. This was a horrifying read that had a slow build up but absolutely disgusted me with its gore, sickened me with the relentless obsession and devastated me with the MC's resolve that is reminiscent of one of my favourite quotes; "...human ruins of a madman's love". I cannot wait for the sequel.
This was far from what I expected and I am delighted. This was a horrifying read that had a slow build up but absolutely disgusted me with its gore, sickened me with the relentless obsession and devastated me with the MC's resolve that is reminiscent of one of my favourite quotes; "...human ruins of a madman's love". I cannot wait for the sequel.
January 2, 2025
Adored the last 25 percent of this book. Was quirky and felt the main characters desperation. The first 3/4 felt like a terrible school novel based on Harry Potter. The level of pettiness and bullying with grown ass adults really irritated me. Ending was not worth suffering through the beginning of this book.
January 30, 2025
3.5
I wish the whole conflict between the magicians hadn’t gone on as long as it had, because honestly the parts when the vampire showed up were far more interesting and messed up. I do agree with a few other reviews saying that the magicians felt too Harry Potter-ish, and honestly, they kinda did. A few of them acted more like snotty teenagers than 20-30 year olds.
I wish the whole conflict between the magicians hadn’t gone on as long as it had, because honestly the parts when the vampire showed up were far more interesting and messed up. I do agree with a few other reviews saying that the magicians felt too Harry Potter-ish, and honestly, they kinda did. A few of them acted more like snotty teenagers than 20-30 year olds.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2025
Wow! Incredibly well written and absolutely gripping I was on the edge of my seat recoiling with shame, anger, disgust, fear and terror right along with Theirry. I am so engrossed by the world I need more and want to know the truth about these families and their history. This felt like a massive teaser into this world and I’m fully invested.
July 13, 2023
I loved this! Super creepy with a great slow burn that left me on the edge of my seat. I've just started reading horror and this was such a good treat that drew me in with that spectacular cover. Can't wait for the sequel!!
January 20, 2025
"Humans were at the top of the food chain, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still prey."
I'm not going to lie, but I really had to power through the first half of this book--and the force behind that was the need to see Hippolyte get what was coming to him.
I'm not going to lie, but I really had to power through the first half of this book--and the force behind that was the need to see Hippolyte get what was coming to him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2023
very good
Very good and original. Excellent writing. This is a new author to me and I will read her other books.
Very good and original. Excellent writing. This is a new author to me and I will read her other books.
April 7, 2023
This was shit.
Read
May 13, 2023horror romance, vampire x witch, catacombs
August 31, 2023
Hauntingly beautiful. The descriptions of fear are unparalleled and it really hits you like a punch to the gut.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews