Boneless

Ember Bones #2

by Coyote J.M. Edwards

A vampire without their wolf…

Grim’s best friend is missing. With the Ember Guard baffled and the list of victims growing by the day, Grim’s going to need a lot more than coffee and takeout to solve this case.

Grim can see the bones, but can they learn how to follow them alone? And how do you find a kidnapper whose captives steal themselves away?

The Ember Bones novellas feature an honest depiction of platonic intimacy, thrilling mysteries, and happy endings galore. Sink your teeth into this cozy modern fantasy.

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Vampires, Queer, Novella

52 pages, ebook

First published April 10, 2023

About the author

Coyote JM Edwards is a lifelong storyteller and aspiring author. Fascinated by emotion, Coyote seeks to bring a sense of depth and honesty to her work as she explores the stories of non-human people. Her upcoming novella, Boneless, comes out this year; if it makes even one person smile, she’ll consider it a success. She walks with a cane, enjoys copious amounts of sushi, and spends her nights preparing tabletop games for her friends. When she writes, it’s in bed with a tabby cat on one side and a Labrador on the other.

Reviews

[Tabitha O’Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a different vibe from the previous one, being less focused on the mystery and more focused on Grim's reaction to Argyle's kidnapping, really driving home how much Argyle has come to mean to them. Two downsides to this were that there wasn't a lot of investigating--for example, Grim never tried to figure out what "M of MB" might mean, which I would have thought would be one of the first things you'd do in this situation. I also missed Argyle's presence; his and Grim's developing friendship was one of the highlights of the first book, so having him almost wholly absent from this one felt like a missed opportunity.

All that said, I liked seeing Grim support and be supported by the other people in their life who might be called friends, and the resolution of the mystery had the same kind-hearted, hopeful tone that I loved about the first book. And getting to see Grim and Argyle reunited at last was wonderful. <3

I received a copy of this book from the author and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in this series and as during my current mood in this stressful time I am in the mood for cozy reads I decided to pick up the second book in the series. Sadly I didn't enjoy Boneless as much as the first book. In my current mood I can be quite picky about my cozy reads and while I normally enjoy some more serious of darker themes in my cozies, I wanted a more cozy read at this time.

In Boneless Argyle is missing and Grim is trying to find Argyle, who is their best friend. The tone of this book was a bit more sad. A lot of the book is about Grim dealing with Argyle missing and all the things that remind them of Argyle and the way makes Grim realize how much Argyle means to them. It also didn't have the fun banter between Argyle and Grim as they are separate for most of the book. And the part they are together at the end is very short and wasn't as long or satisfying as I would've liked.

This book has again a mystery, this time it's about who kidnapped Argyle and then others also go missing. There is a very obvious clue that the characters all ignore, which felt a bit odd. I figured out who was behind it thanks to that clue. Although I did like how Grim figures it out from a pretty interesting clue later on.

I like this world and I like the characters. I hope there will be more books as I want to read more about Argyle and Grim. The world is also pretty neat with some interesting paranormal species.

To summarize: I picked this up hoping for a cozy read, but the tone of this one was a bit more sad as Argyle, Grim's best friend, is missing. I missed the banter between Argyle and Grim and reading about them together as most of this book they are separated. A lot of this book deals with Grim dealing with Argyle being missing and the way it makes them realize how much Argyle means to them. The mystery had a pretty obvious clue the characters didn't pay attention too and I figured out who was behind it. I did like how Grim put things together due to an interesting clue. The world and characters and great, so I hope there will be more books in this series.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable shorter book, although I didn't like it quite as much as the first, I think because the mystery wasn't so complicated. It was interesting that Grim found an excellent use for their unusual ability to see everyone's bones. The growing platonic relationship between the MCs is beautiful.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout and am happy to leave a voluntary review.

[DLB2572 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick But Interesting

I was anxious to get to this follow up story after finishing book 1. I was not disappointed. This may be a quick story but it was definitely interesting and entertaining. I would definitely read more tales with Grim and Argyle.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Ember Bones series and I was interested enough in the first to keep reading especially with that cliffhanger. This was a really good second short story to add to the first. I really liked the continuation especially between characters, particularly the two mains. Even though they were apart I felt like their relationship was a little better paced, but maybe because they weren’t together it had a chance to slow down and felt a little more organic. This has the same vibe as the first one, being fun, cute, and borderline cozy.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

another cosy yet mysterious short story with Grim

I have enjoyed all of Edwards’ stories so far, and this is no exception. Grim is such a good character and I like their interactions with others in these tightly
written, cosy mysteries.

[Yackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a book I read

[Amur Thera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The good
+ Grim privately admitting and accepting their feelings for Argyle
+ Grim genuinely trying to do what's best for the investigation
+ Grim getting all melodramatic because they're missing their best friend
+ Grim using their bone-seeing ability!
+ Grim trusting Argyle even when Argyle was at his most dangerous
+ Grim and Argyle cuddling on the rug
+ Talking about feelings!
+ So much wolf form time for Argyle

The neutral
o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased
o This one doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but it's not the last book for these characters, right?! I need more!

The bad
- Grim is an investigator, and therefore it was quite frustrating to me that they didn't make the same connections as quickly as I did as a reader. I'll just chalk it up to distress because of losing Argyle, but honestly, some things they should've realized sooner

Quotes
x "You're–you're my–you're. You. Are. You–fuck" "Can't get it out? I'll say it for you. In the whole wide world, you are my best fuckin' friend. And I know I'm yours, so you can chill, you got it?"


They're together again! I'm so happy Grim got their best friend back, and I'm very sure Argyle is very glad to be back as well. There is so much more to these characters than we've seen so far, so I hope this is not the end. I want more content! Would definitely recommend.

[Rowan Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** cw/tw: death, confinement, violence, blood, grief, anxiety/panic attacks (mentioned) and kidnapping ***

A cozy urban fantasy, Boneless and it's predecessor Unbury the Bones are the diverse, queer, supernatural mysteries I have always craved. 

First the negative: Like any cozy fantasy, the ending was far too easy and the stakes were low, even lower than the first. It is a novella, so the world building isn't as great as a full length novel could be, however, the author did well at giving the reader what they needed to know, and with little info dumping. The first novella had greater tension and build up, but the mystery was cooler in the sequel in my opinion.

Now the positive: Grim and Argyle's platonic friendship! Their dynamic and distinct personalities makes this (current) two book series, a joy to read. There is just enough darkness and emotional depth for substance, but a cozy feel in spite of it. The characters feel fully realized and unapologetically themselves.

The world building: is so fun, mostly because of the rarity of an urban fantasy book foregoing the "secret world" trope, and I appreciate that so much.

The progressive and inclusive representation: the MC is a queer,  non binary vampire with communication issues and I believe is ace/aro. The secondary lead, Argyle, is a werewolf who has an anxiety disorder with panic attacks. He also has one blind eye. Many of the other characters have sensory differences or stuggle with mental health. The book and author are very open about the way they write and are deeply respectful. Not to mention how accepted and natural these differences are treated. It's refreshing, especially in this sub-genre of urban fantasy.

I can't wait for the next installment.

[Steph Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually found this short urban-fantasy-mystery-noir novella a little easier to get into than Unbury the Bones, as I felt like I had a better grip on the characters. The two novellas could easily be joined together to form one full-length story, in fact, as this story carries straight on from the cliffhanger ending in Book 1.

I really missed Argyle’s positive influence on the tone of the story here, as Grim is a much more sombre and reflective character and the two work well together to create a balance. I also found myself getting a little bit frustrated at how long it took for Grim to piece certain clues together which felt quite glaring to me, but then, I wasn’t struggling with the deep emotional distress that they were throughout the book!

As before, this is an interesting story world and characters that I would love to see more of – the unique lore and worldbuilding hiding behind just these short plots is so intriguing – so I will definitely be reading more Ember Bones in future too (I feel like I’m saying that a lot these days and my TBR pile never seems to get any smaller… I wonder if the two are related?!)

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first: you’ll want to have read the first installment in the series, if you haven’t already, as this picks up where it leaves off. In this second story, the world building continues to be fascinating and the character development continues to shine. The mystery? Might have been the least compelling component. Still, while I wish Grim had been slightly more attuned to the wealth of clues pointing towards the culprit, I can’t fault them for being distracted: they want their friend back, they have to come to terms with what it means to *have* a friend, and to make space for that friend in their life and acknowledge their own place in his, and there’s something really fragile (yet somehow also deeply resilient) and gentle and lovely about the bond that links Argyle and Grim. I’d love to see more of these two, and I’ll be on the lookout for more stories set in this world. 4.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tiny Elf Arcanist · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took Grim way too long to find the culprit since they were already signing the letters, but I’ll give them a pass since they’re worried about Argyle.

I missed the humour from the first novella, but this one explores darker emotions that scrunched my heart to then blow it back up. While Unbury the Bones was about acceptance, trust, and love; Boneless is about grief, forgiveness, and healing.

Grim may not be the hero the people in Embervein want, but they’re the hero they need.

[A.E. Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick but entertaining tale! I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, though the ending certainly left me wanting more. We as readers get that here with the second book in this cozy modern fantasy/mystery. When we last left main character Grim, they were grappling with opening up to their best friend, Argyle. But now Argyle is missing, and Grim is not only feeling lost, but terrified for their friend. Grim's powers allow them to see beneath the surface of the crimes they need to solve, but will that be enough? This was a fun read and I hope this isn't the last we hear from these characters! (I wrote this review based on an advance reading copy that the author sent me.)

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We pick up where we left Grim off, trying to find Argyle. It's a mystery who took him and with more disappearances happening it's critical to find out where they are before the full moon. If only they could figure out the mysterious notes left behind by the victims.
----
I like that the book has reminders throughout about what happened in the first book. If you were binge reading them it may seem repetitive, but I personally liked the refresher. There's great representation in the book as well in the form of a non-binary and aromantic main character.

They mystery wasn't hard to figure out, if you read the first book, but the ending was still good. This was a quick read.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I loved the first book, which ended with a kidnapping and a note. Thing is, to me it was immediately obvious from the note who the kidnapper was (it is signed, for fuck's sake). It didn't even occur to me that it was supposed to be a mystery. So I was pretty surprised when I started the sequel and realized that Grim... doesn't know? And then both Grim and the other investigators proceeded to ignore the contents of the notes and think about connections, and it took Grim 70% of the book to figure out what I didn't even think was a question. So yeah. That kinda took the enjoyment out of it.

That being said, the Grim-Argyle friendship/queerplatonic relationship is pretty nice.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery! Grim senses something is not right. He knows there is something off about Gyle's disappearance. The full moon is coming and that's never a good time for wolf shifter Gyle. Will Grim figure out the puzzle in time? Will he find Gyle before it's too late? Good story. Interesting group of supportive friends. It helps to read the previous story first for continuity. Good flow. Nice puzzle, lots of sadness, opportunity for listening understanding and acceptance. Nicely done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this does what I was hoping for from the sequel in the Ember Bones series, it was a great overall feel and I loved the detective angle. It had what I enjoyed from the first book and improved on that book. I enjoyed the characters and the way they were written. I'm glad I got to read this and look forward to more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very fond of Coyote JM Edwards' work and this novella carries further the story of Grim and Argyle.

There's just enough suspense to keep the reader engaged, but the story is cozy and not stressful, if that makes sense. We learn more about Grim and the way that they think, and how they can learn to be vulnerable with themselves and others.

I dearly hope for more stories in Ember!

This review was based on a complimentary pre-release copy.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to get this! I wanted to read it so bad knowing how the first book ended. I was about in tears over that lol. I love me some Argyle. I hope there will be more stories with Grim & Argyle. I love them as a team. I really like the characters of these books & the plots! (And yes, I knew cards have a smell lol). So glad I got to read these!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tallyho · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read book 1 and then immediately read this book...and I'm glad it worked out that way, because book 1 ended with a cliffhanger! Both books were so lovely. I loved learning about Grim, and the town of Embervein. This author does a fantastic job of developing all of the characters, even the side ones!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sapphie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the previous book ends whit the letter written by m of mb. I tought it was obvious who wrote this letter and this book will be start to find Mouse. But noo, it whant to be a plot twist or something like that xddd Whyy?

[nieuwekaart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Embervein is totally engrossing

All of the characters and elements of this series just suck you in and take you for a sweeping ride.

[Elisabeth G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but captivating. I was annoyed at some point because I thought I had predicted the ending...but I WAS WRONG. Super happy to see Grim and Argyle again 🥰

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great follow up to the first novella. This series has just warmed my heart and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

Grim from Unbury the Bones is aromantic!

https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! Can't wait to read more about Grim and Argyle. I love to see platonic relationships as a focus and also mental health being dealt with realistically.