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House of the Dead #1
La Forgeuse d'os
Elle ne laissera personne – ni vivants, ni morts – se mettre en travers de son chemin...
Wren descend d'une longue et noble lignée de valkyrs. Ces guerriers dotés de pouvoirs magiques occultes ont pour mission de se débarrasser des fantômes qui s'attardent sur terre et sèment le chaos dans leur sillage. Alors, quand vient l'heure de son épreuve d'initiation, pas question pour la jeune novice de décevoir qui que ce soit – et surtout pas son père ! Sauf que rien ne se passe comme prévu. Pire, son échec lui vaut d'être bannie et envoyée au plus près de la Faille, un no man's land qui grouille de revenants plus vicieux et imprévisibles les uns que les autres.
Déterminée à regagner le respect des siens, Wren saisit sa chance le jour où Leopold Valorien, l'irrévérencieux prince de la maison de l'Or, est enlevé lors d'une visite diplomatique. La jeune fille jure de tout faire pour le retrouver, quitte à affronter une armée de créatures venues d'outre-tombe... et à s'associer avec Julian, redoutable combattant pourtant issu d'un clan ennemi.
Wren descend d'une longue et noble lignée de valkyrs. Ces guerriers dotés de pouvoirs magiques occultes ont pour mission de se débarrasser des fantômes qui s'attardent sur terre et sèment le chaos dans leur sillage. Alors, quand vient l'heure de son épreuve d'initiation, pas question pour la jeune novice de décevoir qui que ce soit – et surtout pas son père ! Sauf que rien ne se passe comme prévu. Pire, son échec lui vaut d'être bannie et envoyée au plus près de la Faille, un no man's land qui grouille de revenants plus vicieux et imprévisibles les uns que les autres.
Déterminée à regagner le respect des siens, Wren saisit sa chance le jour où Leopold Valorien, l'irrévérencieux prince de la maison de l'Or, est enlevé lors d'une visite diplomatique. La jeune fille jure de tout faire pour le retrouver, quitte à affronter une armée de créatures venues d'outre-tombe... et à s'associer avec Julian, redoutable combattant pourtant issu d'un clan ennemi.
594 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2023
629 people are currently reading
40936 people want to read
About the author
Nicki Pau Preto
8 books1,683 followersNicki Pau Preto is a fantasy author living just outside of Toronto—though her dislike of hockey, snow, and geese makes her the worst Canadian in the country. She studied art and art history in university and worked as a graphic designer before becoming a writer full-time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,518 reviews
December 15, 2022
Best YA book I’ve read in a long time.
January 28, 2026
4.5 stars
Oh this was SO good-perfect fall fantasy read! I'm a big fan of Nicki's Crown of Feather's series but this is a HUGE step up. This series feels much more serious and the storytelling is much more fluid.
I will say that I hate the "I'm gonna 'betray' you because I know what's best for you and I'm protecting you" trope, but it didn't bother me too much in this one, especially since everyone seems to be on even ground by the end of this first book.
Cannot wait to see where this story goes! 🔥☠️
Oh this was SO good-perfect fall fantasy read! I'm a big fan of Nicki's Crown of Feather's series but this is a HUGE step up. This series feels much more serious and the storytelling is much more fluid.
I will say that I hate the "I'm gonna 'betray' you because I know what's best for you and I'm protecting you" trope, but it didn't bother me too much in this one, especially since everyone seems to be on even ground by the end of this first book.
Cannot wait to see where this story goes! 🔥☠️
December 16, 2024
3.5 ☆
”death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise. ... and we will be there. so the living may thrive, and the dead may rest in peace.”
i loved the concept of this book and the bone/ghost magic system was unique. the main characters were fine but Leo ended up being my favorite. my main issue with this was the writing, it was very choppy with info dumping that left me confused more often than not. the reveals were predictable but i still see the potential. if the plot wasn’t so convoluted, i would’ve rated this higher. i’m interested enough to continue the duology.
“I'd rather be alone among the wolves I know than alone among those I don't.”
- thanks to my twin beauty Maeghan for buddy reading this with me, it’s always a good time. 🖤
”death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise. ... and we will be there. so the living may thrive, and the dead may rest in peace.”
i loved the concept of this book and the bone/ghost magic system was unique. the main characters were fine but Leo ended up being my favorite. my main issue with this was the writing, it was very choppy with info dumping that left me confused more often than not. the reveals were predictable but i still see the potential. if the plot wasn’t so convoluted, i would’ve rated this higher. i’m interested enough to continue the duology.
“I'd rather be alone among the wolves I know than alone among those I don't.”
- thanks to my twin beauty Maeghan for buddy reading this with me, it’s always a good time. 🖤
December 16, 2024
╭ ✦ •
│
│ ⊹ 𝟺.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
│
╰ ✦ •
Initial thoughts after reading:I loved the characters; they have so much depth and there's so much history surrounding them, the magic system is so fun, unique, and well thought-out, and don't even get me started on the world-building, it's absolutely breathtaking!
_________________________________
Flawless is the sole word that summarizes my depiction of this book. The remarkable ability to craft such a distinctive and enthralling world is truly astounding, and I offer my sincere applause to Nicki Pau Preto for her exceptional skills. The book itself is nothing short of outstanding and it's been a while since I've read something I actually enjoyed.
︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎𓆩♡𓆪︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎
Bonesmith is the first installment of the House of Dead Duology, the Dominions are governed by five houses: Bone, Gold, Silver, Iron, and Ghost. This book is brimming with adventure, intrigue, magic, romance, and even some delightful and slightly embarrassing humor. Within its fast-paced narrative lies a captivating blend of family drama.
The lore and worldbuilding within this book stand as some of the most compelling I've encountered this year. The story unfolds in a realm known as the Dominion, where individuals possess unique powers tied to various elements. Stonesmiths manipulate and shape stone, goldsmiths wield control over gold, and there are even bonesmiths who command bone materials, along with those who manage the supernatural. The protagonist, Wren, belongs to a distinct group of bonesmiths called Valkyrs, who utilize bone materials to protect another type of bonesmith known as Reapyrs. The Reapyrs are responsible for extracting a deceased person's soul from their body through a specialized bone. While all types of bonesmiths were once feared, the situation changed after the emergence of the Breach. Following the construction of a protective wall around The Haunted Lands, these individuals are now revered for their ability to combat the deceased in the war that ensued. However, their reception is less warm among those residing outside the wall.
While the story introduces a wealth of lore initially, the writing style of the story enables an effortless understanding of both the plot and the history of the world; slight info dump (which honestly I did not mind, but others might). The plot swiftly commences with Wren's attempt to complete a bonesmith trial to attain the status of a full-fledged Valkyr. But, her efforts are bested by a classmate who no doubt envies our FMC, this results in her banishment and assignment to the Border Wall to prove herself or face an indefinite term of service. Unexpectedly, a prince's arrival presents her with an unforeseen opportunity when he is captured and taken into The Haunted Lands. Wren is compelled to collaborate with Julian, an ironsmith on a parallel mission. Together, they unveil startling revelations about The Haunted Lands and the Breach that eluded their prior knowledge. There are SO many hidden twists as the story unfolds, although... I did predict some things; it was still beautifully told.
I genuinely liked our FMC as a character. While she's impulsive and flawed, which only makes her more endearing she does have significant character development as the story progresses. It stems from her upbringing, where she constantly tries to prove herself to her grandmother and father, often feeling like she falls short. Is she reckless and impulsive? Yes, but those traits work in her favor within the context of the book. And thank goodness for Julian, who helps balance her out! I LOVE Julian's character. He's an ironsmith; ironsmiths were thought to be dead since they live beyond the protective wall, beyond The Haunted Lands. I loved how much we got to see his abilities. As for the enemies-to-lovers aspect between Julian and Wren, it was a nice breather from all the chaos they've been going through, their gradual progression from foes to allies brought added depth to their relationship and advanced a deeper complexity to their interactions. I really loved how well Wren and Julian complemented each other. I appreciated Julian's openness and commitment to doing what's right. He had no qualms about calling out Wren for her recklessness or decisions driven by her desire for acceptance from her family, rather than making the harder choices. And in the end, they really did make a good team.
Although we only get a glimpse of Prince Leo (it's not exactly a multi-POV book, we do get a few chapters from Prince Leo's and Julian's perspectives, with 95% of the book focusing on Wren), I still found what we learned about him and his role as a goldsmith quite enjoyable. I didn't dislike his character but also I didn't necessarily care for him that much initially but I grew to admire him for his candid acceptance of his position in life and his willingness to approach things differently.
︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎𓆩♡𓆪︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎
I really can't sing enough praises for this one; it was a thrill to read from start to finish. And I barely even touch on how amazing the magic system was, but I suppose that would be something you should find out for yourself.
I loved the characters; they have so much depth and there's so much history surrounding them, the magic, lore, and history were rich with details and served so delicately that it was not overwhelming. The writing maintains a lighthearted and humorous tone at times, aligning with the personality of Wren – our intrepid, mildly arrogant, and incredibly skilled protagonist – all while upholding the seriousness of the plot: a perfect storm of politics, ambition, secrets, and betrayals. I absolutely adored this book!
Now, I find myself eagerly counting down the days until the release of its sequel. If this isn't on your TBR yet, it should be!
thank you Simon Schuster Canada for sending me a physical ARC of Bonesmith
_________________________________
Blog ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook
│
│ ⊹ 𝟺.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
│
╰ ✦ •
Initial thoughts after reading:I loved the characters; they have so much depth and there's so much history surrounding them, the magic system is so fun, unique, and well thought-out, and don't even get me started on the world-building, it's absolutely breathtaking!
_________________________________
"death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise. ... and we will be there. so the living may thrive, and the dead may rest in peace."
Flawless is the sole word that summarizes my depiction of this book. The remarkable ability to craft such a distinctive and enthralling world is truly astounding, and I offer my sincere applause to Nicki Pau Preto for her exceptional skills. The book itself is nothing short of outstanding and it's been a while since I've read something I actually enjoyed.
︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎𓆩♡𓆪︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎
Bonesmith is the first installment of the House of Dead Duology, the Dominions are governed by five houses: Bone, Gold, Silver, Iron, and Ghost. This book is brimming with adventure, intrigue, magic, romance, and even some delightful and slightly embarrassing humor. Within its fast-paced narrative lies a captivating blend of family drama.
The lore and worldbuilding within this book stand as some of the most compelling I've encountered this year. The story unfolds in a realm known as the Dominion, where individuals possess unique powers tied to various elements. Stonesmiths manipulate and shape stone, goldsmiths wield control over gold, and there are even bonesmiths who command bone materials, along with those who manage the supernatural. The protagonist, Wren, belongs to a distinct group of bonesmiths called Valkyrs, who utilize bone materials to protect another type of bonesmith known as Reapyrs. The Reapyrs are responsible for extracting a deceased person's soul from their body through a specialized bone. While all types of bonesmiths were once feared, the situation changed after the emergence of the Breach. Following the construction of a protective wall around The Haunted Lands, these individuals are now revered for their ability to combat the deceased in the war that ensued. However, their reception is less warm among those residing outside the wall.
While the story introduces a wealth of lore initially, the writing style of the story enables an effortless understanding of both the plot and the history of the world; slight info dump (which honestly I did not mind, but others might). The plot swiftly commences with Wren's attempt to complete a bonesmith trial to attain the status of a full-fledged Valkyr. But, her efforts are bested by a classmate who no doubt envies our FMC, this results in her banishment and assignment to the Border Wall to prove herself or face an indefinite term of service. Unexpectedly, a prince's arrival presents her with an unforeseen opportunity when he is captured and taken into The Haunted Lands. Wren is compelled to collaborate with Julian, an ironsmith on a parallel mission. Together, they unveil startling revelations about The Haunted Lands and the Breach that eluded their prior knowledge. There are SO many hidden twists as the story unfolds, although... I did predict some things; it was still beautifully told.
"And instead of standing with us to fight this threat, your house marched into the Breach, escorting an army into our lands, and then stood aside, watching as they and the undead mowed us down. How brave. How heroic. You left us here to die, and you begrudge us fighting back? fighting to survive? We need no forgiveness. We need justice."
I genuinely liked our FMC as a character. While she's impulsive and flawed, which only makes her more endearing she does have significant character development as the story progresses. It stems from her upbringing, where she constantly tries to prove herself to her grandmother and father, often feeling like she falls short. Is she reckless and impulsive? Yes, but those traits work in her favor within the context of the book. And thank goodness for Julian, who helps balance her out! I LOVE Julian's character. He's an ironsmith; ironsmiths were thought to be dead since they live beyond the protective wall, beyond The Haunted Lands. I loved how much we got to see his abilities. As for the enemies-to-lovers aspect between Julian and Wren, it was a nice breather from all the chaos they've been going through, their gradual progression from foes to allies brought added depth to their relationship and advanced a deeper complexity to their interactions. I really loved how well Wren and Julian complemented each other. I appreciated Julian's openness and commitment to doing what's right. He had no qualms about calling out Wren for her recklessness or decisions driven by her desire for acceptance from her family, rather than making the harder choices. And in the end, they really did make a good team.
Although we only get a glimpse of Prince Leo (it's not exactly a multi-POV book, we do get a few chapters from Prince Leo's and Julian's perspectives, with 95% of the book focusing on Wren), I still found what we learned about him and his role as a goldsmith quite enjoyable. I didn't dislike his character but also I didn't necessarily care for him that much initially but I grew to admire him for his candid acceptance of his position in life and his willingness to approach things differently.
︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎𓆩♡𓆪︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎ ︎︎
I really can't sing enough praises for this one; it was a thrill to read from start to finish. And I barely even touch on how amazing the magic system was, but I suppose that would be something you should find out for yourself.
“…and then placed her palm flat on the ground. Her skin tingled a moment, then a burst of magic shot up her arm. She took a breath, the power crackling in her lungs and surging through her body.
Limitless power.
Dark power.”
I loved the characters; they have so much depth and there's so much history surrounding them, the magic, lore, and history were rich with details and served so delicately that it was not overwhelming. The writing maintains a lighthearted and humorous tone at times, aligning with the personality of Wren – our intrepid, mildly arrogant, and incredibly skilled protagonist – all while upholding the seriousness of the plot: a perfect storm of politics, ambition, secrets, and betrayals. I absolutely adored this book!
Now, I find myself eagerly counting down the days until the release of its sequel. If this isn't on your TBR yet, it should be!
thank you Simon Schuster Canada for sending me a physical ARC of Bonesmith
_________________________________
Blog ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook
August 31, 2025
« Sometimes trouble finds us, wether we’re looking for it or not »
I had fun with this! The writing is definitely choppy and hard to follow (a lot of info dumps) but it was still a fun read for me.
I liked the characters (even if I was annoyed with Wren) and am excited to get to book 2!
I did predict 80% of what was going to happen but I still surprisingly had fun with this.
« I’m disappointed in you.
- Then maybe I’m finally doing something right »
—-•
Happy to be doing this BR with my gorgeous twin Krysta ꕤ ❤️
I had fun with this! The writing is definitely choppy and hard to follow (a lot of info dumps) but it was still a fun read for me.
I liked the characters (even if I was annoyed with Wren) and am excited to get to book 2!
I did predict 80% of what was going to happen but I still surprisingly had fun with this.
« I’m disappointed in you.
- Then maybe I’m finally doing something right »
—-•
Happy to be doing this BR with my gorgeous twin Krysta ꕤ ❤️
dnf
December 20, 2022As a general rule, I don't rate books I didn't finish, but I do think this book was on track to be a 2.5-3 star read for me.
I felt conflicted about abandoning this book. I was not enjoying it, but I liked the idea of it and I did want to be enjoying it. The problem I had is that reading this book feels like reading the author's worldbuilding notes, interspersed only occasionally with dialogue or action or actual story. It became very frustrating because absolutely no detail could go unexplained.
And some details were WAY over-explained. I got to a scene where the concept of "bitter metal" is being introduced, and rather than just letting us infer from the dialogue that bitter metal is metal that can't be utilized by smiths because it's an alloy, we got a HUGE paragraph that wound up talking about how legally only bitter gold can be used for currency, so that goldsmiths have more non-bitter gold available to them for goldsmithing. Like, okay, cool worldbuilding detail, but our POV character is supposedly a reckless warrior who doesn't pay attention to her studies and has never left her home before. Why does she remember or care about this information?
And there are so many examples like this of expository detail that should have been cut because it's unnecessary and slows down the pacing. There are other ways in which this story feel overwritten, too. In general, two out of three sentences just feel like they're one clause too long. We're rarely allowed to infer anything, because this book is so busy TELLING you absolutely everything, from every single detail of the world to every single detail of the characters' feelings.
These things bother me a lot and I do think they're bad writing choices, but I don't think they would bother every reader. I enjoy inferring and putting together the pieces myself when it comes to fantasy, but I know that's not everyone's preference. Thus, I do think some people will enjoy this story. I just couldn't stomach the idea of another 200 pages of information about random stuff Nicki Pau Preto came up with and wants to tell me about.
I did think the character interactions were amusing and well written and I wish they weren't buried in between so much distracting exposition.
Final note: I think the comparisons to Gideon the Ninth might actually harm this book more than they help it. Yeah, it's a book about a brash girl who fights the undead, but I feel like the over-explained writing here is completely opposite from Tamsyn Muir's tendency to just throw unexplained details at you. Sure, you might enjoy this if you're just looking for a reckless warrior girl + undead story, but stylistically I don't see any overlap.
I felt conflicted about abandoning this book. I was not enjoying it, but I liked the idea of it and I did want to be enjoying it. The problem I had is that reading this book feels like reading the author's worldbuilding notes, interspersed only occasionally with dialogue or action or actual story. It became very frustrating because absolutely no detail could go unexplained.
And some details were WAY over-explained. I got to a scene where the concept of "bitter metal" is being introduced, and rather than just letting us infer from the dialogue that bitter metal is metal that can't be utilized by smiths because it's an alloy, we got a HUGE paragraph that wound up talking about how legally only bitter gold can be used for currency, so that goldsmiths have more non-bitter gold available to them for goldsmithing. Like, okay, cool worldbuilding detail, but our POV character is supposedly a reckless warrior who doesn't pay attention to her studies and has never left her home before. Why does she remember or care about this information?
And there are so many examples like this of expository detail that should have been cut because it's unnecessary and slows down the pacing. There are other ways in which this story feel overwritten, too. In general, two out of three sentences just feel like they're one clause too long. We're rarely allowed to infer anything, because this book is so busy TELLING you absolutely everything, from every single detail of the world to every single detail of the characters' feelings.
These things bother me a lot and I do think they're bad writing choices, but I don't think they would bother every reader. I enjoy inferring and putting together the pieces myself when it comes to fantasy, but I know that's not everyone's preference. Thus, I do think some people will enjoy this story. I just couldn't stomach the idea of another 200 pages of information about random stuff Nicki Pau Preto came up with and wants to tell me about.
I did think the character interactions were amusing and well written and I wish they weren't buried in between so much distracting exposition.
Final note: I think the comparisons to Gideon the Ninth might actually harm this book more than they help it. Yeah, it's a book about a brash girl who fights the undead, but I feel like the over-explained writing here is completely opposite from Tamsyn Muir's tendency to just throw unexplained details at you. Sure, you might enjoy this if you're just looking for a reckless warrior girl + undead story, but stylistically I don't see any overlap.
July 7, 2021
Here’s what to expect from Nicki pau preto new book BONESMITH
Gideon the Ninth meets The Cruel Prince
💔enemies to lovers
☠️Bone and necromancy-adjacent magic
👻ghosts,haunted forests made of bones! Walking undead!
⚔️🛡a bold slightly arrogant heroine in the vein of Rose Hathaway or Celaena Sardothien
Coming out in the 2023
Gideon the Ninth meets The Cruel Prince
💔enemies to lovers
☠️Bone and necromancy-adjacent magic
👻ghosts,haunted forests made of bones! Walking undead!
⚔️🛡a bold slightly arrogant heroine in the vein of Rose Hathaway or Celaena Sardothien
Coming out in the 2023
October 24, 2024
“This was no ordinary forest, after all. This was the Bonewood. Arms and legs soared up from the ground, twisted and warped. Bent and broken. Dead, soulless bones. Undead, haunted bones.”
first of all, that badass cover is what caught my eye and made me want to read this as soon as i was done with my current read. that, and a friend recommended it to me (lol thanks aya). happy to report that Bonesmith lived up to my expectations and despite having some minor complaints i quite enjoyed this :)
THE PLOT
i was pretty fascinated by the world building because i loved how intricate and dense it was. i liked learning about the complexities and different attributes of bonesmiths and ironsmiths alike. especially the ironsmith lore and their abilities with the metal was very interesting to me. the action and suspense were good too. some of the twists were predictable but most of them still took me by surprise.
THE CHARACTERS
i had some issues with wren’s characterisation. she appeared confident but also overconfident at the same time because she didn’t really think through the consequences of getting herself into dangerous situations and while i adore rebellious characters, hers missed the mark for me. she also came off as childish at times by putting her pride and ambition first. ik she’s 17 so that could be why her character is written like that but i’ve read many YA books with more mature fmcs who were younger than her. with that said, her character definitely needs more fine tuning and thankfully it does improve towards the end of the book.
julian was a nice addition to the story and he kept things interesting. he acted more maturely than wren and i wish we had gotten move of his POV but we got crumbs at best. even though they weren’t the bitter enemies i expected them to be, i still liked their interactions and the journey they took together. hoping to see more chapters from his perspective in the sequel.
i don’t have much to say about leo but i’m glad there wasn’t a love triangle between him and wren because that would’ve been annoying and made me lower my rating. i’m curious to know more about him in the sequel though. i hope their connection remains purely platonic in book 2 because there is still a dearth of well written friendships between characters of the opposite gender in YA.
FINAL THOUGHTS
overall, this was a decent read and i’m excited to see where the story goes in Ghostsmith. i’m expecting some angst between wren and julian as well as more family drama. i just hope the sequel will be better than this one or at least, just as good but we’ll see 🤞🏼.
October 12, 2023
I technically DNFed this at 80%, but I'm counting it as read.
Bonesmith is pitched as Gideon the Ninth meets Game of Thrones, which...big shoes to fill! Ultimately, my feelings about the book were mixed-to-positive, but I also have to be honest with myself and admit that I'm not interested in rushing the last 20% of the book or most likely continuing the series.
Bonesmith follows Wren, a headstrong necromancer set on gaining the respect of her family. When her graduation trials are sabotaged, she finds herself banished to a distant fortress, saddled with mundanity until she can find a way to prove herself. A kidnapped prince, an unlikely ally, a political ruse...there's a lot going on!
In many ways, I enjoyed this book because it written for someone like me. I'll eat up basically anything with necromancy and politics, and this book contains not one but two (!) creepy forests! Wren is a unique main character: arrogant and sarcastic, but in a way that feels authentic to her age, and she shows a lot of growth over the course of the story. Julian, the aforementioned unlikely ally, is also an endearing love interest. They have genuine chemistry, and I think anyone interested in their next grumpy/grumpy romance will find something to enjoy here. I'll also add that the worldbuilding here really pulled me in. NPP has clearly thought a lot about this environment and how magic affects everyday people, and it shows!
However, I can see this book putting people off for 2 main reasons. The storytelling VERY heavily leans into telling instead of showing, particularly in the beginning of the book. I would also say there's relatively little dialogue. Most of the information we learn is through long narrative monologues from Wren's perspective, and while it's all interesting (and generally doesn't really bother me), it's also, admittedly, weak storytelling.
This book is also paced very slowly, and I think a lot of that comes from a...repetitiveness in the writing. It's common for the narration to say something like: "The clouds near their destination were dark and heavy. They were heading into a storm." Like, you don't have to tell us there's a storm - you've already implied it through describing the weather. In isolation this isn't a problem, but this characterizes almost every paragraph within the book. Even the scenes themselves have a sense of familiarity; characters summarize things that have already happened and go through the motions of a repeated scene. I'm convinced this book could be cut down to 60% of its length and be a tighter story because of it.
Another thought that I don't think is necessarily a positive or a negative, but may affect some people's expectations: this book is pitched as Gideon x GOT, and at times I was concerned this book was running a little too close to its comp titles. Like...there are definitely ideas that feel lifted wholesale from those books. I think Bonesmith does a decent job of differentiating itself without feeling derivative, especially later in the book, but I wouldn't disagree if someone said they had to put it down for that reason. Of course, if you are like me and happen to love those books, then this isn't really an issue.
All this to say, your mileage may vary. I may be tempted to finish the book or try out book 2 if reviews are good, but otherwise I'm happy setting this down where I did.
Bonesmith is pitched as Gideon the Ninth meets Game of Thrones, which...big shoes to fill! Ultimately, my feelings about the book were mixed-to-positive, but I also have to be honest with myself and admit that I'm not interested in rushing the last 20% of the book or most likely continuing the series.
Bonesmith follows Wren, a headstrong necromancer set on gaining the respect of her family. When her graduation trials are sabotaged, she finds herself banished to a distant fortress, saddled with mundanity until she can find a way to prove herself. A kidnapped prince, an unlikely ally, a political ruse...there's a lot going on!
In many ways, I enjoyed this book because it written for someone like me. I'll eat up basically anything with necromancy and politics, and this book contains not one but two (!) creepy forests! Wren is a unique main character: arrogant and sarcastic, but in a way that feels authentic to her age, and she shows a lot of growth over the course of the story. Julian, the aforementioned unlikely ally, is also an endearing love interest. They have genuine chemistry, and I think anyone interested in their next grumpy/grumpy romance will find something to enjoy here. I'll also add that the worldbuilding here really pulled me in. NPP has clearly thought a lot about this environment and how magic affects everyday people, and it shows!
However, I can see this book putting people off for 2 main reasons. The storytelling VERY heavily leans into telling instead of showing, particularly in the beginning of the book. I would also say there's relatively little dialogue. Most of the information we learn is through long narrative monologues from Wren's perspective, and while it's all interesting (and generally doesn't really bother me), it's also, admittedly, weak storytelling.
This book is also paced very slowly, and I think a lot of that comes from a...repetitiveness in the writing. It's common for the narration to say something like: "The clouds near their destination were dark and heavy. They were heading into a storm." Like, you don't have to tell us there's a storm - you've already implied it through describing the weather. In isolation this isn't a problem, but this characterizes almost every paragraph within the book. Even the scenes themselves have a sense of familiarity; characters summarize things that have already happened and go through the motions of a repeated scene. I'm convinced this book could be cut down to 60% of its length and be a tighter story because of it.
Another thought that I don't think is necessarily a positive or a negative, but may affect some people's expectations: this book is pitched as Gideon x GOT, and at times I was concerned this book was running a little too close to its comp titles. Like...there are definitely ideas that feel lifted wholesale from those books. I think Bonesmith does a decent job of differentiating itself without feeling derivative, especially later in the book, but I wouldn't disagree if someone said they had to put it down for that reason. Of course, if you are like me and happen to love those books, then this isn't really an issue.
All this to say, your mileage may vary. I may be tempted to finish the book or try out book 2 if reviews are good, but otherwise I'm happy setting this down where I did.
October 26, 2023
Well fuck me, I was not prepared to be this shocked by Bonesmith, but alas I am floored.
Throne of Glass meets The Bone Witch in this dark, upper YA fantasy rife with necromancy, ghost-hunting, and treacherous journeys through deadly wastelands.
This one truly snuck up on me . . .
At the start, I was enjoying Bonesmith and had this pegged for a four star, or at worst, a high three star… Then somewhere along the way, things started shifting into place until, in the last 50 pages, I had to stop in shock and wonder if this actually just became a 5-star favorite without me even noticing.
The novel follows Wren Graven, the bonesmith daughter of Vance Graven and niece to the martyr Locke Graven who’s proclaimed to be the savior of the Dominions from the deadly revenants of the Breachlands. Wren’s entire life is dedicated to making her infamously unimpressed father proud, but when her final trial to become a valkyr (a ghost fighting warrior basically) is sabotaged by her cousin, Inara, Wren is exiled from the House of Bone by her apathetic grandmother—who’s never truly liked Wren due to her controversial birth to an anonymous woman from the warfront two decades ago when the Border Wall was first erected to keep the Breach’s monsters out. Exhiled to the Border Wall, Wren is desperate to make a name for herself and regain acceptance to the House of Bone, which she is the heir to. When the House of Gold prince, Leo, is kidnapped on an inspection past the Border Wall and dragged into the Breach by the previously thought extinct ironsmiths, Wren is determined to rescue him. Together with Julian, the ironsmith heir and kidnapper-turned-ally after his companions attempt to assassinate him, Wren traverses into the Haunted Territory—the most dangerous, ghost-filled territory of the Breach—where she realizes that everything she’s been taught, about the war against the revenants and the long-extinct ghostsmiths said to control the dead, is a lie.
CHARACTERS
I am utterly in love with Wren’s character. If you are a fan of Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass, then this is your book! Wren is sarcastic, badass, hella flirty, and so egotistical and impulsive it often lands her in trouble. She’s rebellious of the rules and with a ravenous curiosity that cannot be quenched. Her overconfidence is endearing in the way it highlights her human flaws and entertaining in the ways she makes others—especially Julian—uncomfortable with her raunchy behavior.
Also, I HAVE to mention the scene where Wren uses the breastplate of Julian’s armor (WHILE HE’S WEARING IT) as a mirror. “Uses male love interest’s armor as mirror” is a new trope I didn’t know existed and now don’t know if I should be ashamed of loving so much. 🤷🏼♀️
Julian is the perfect balance of both hard-edged and softer qualities. He’s brooding, formidable, and reserved while at the same time contemplative, charming, and insecure. I think Preto did an amazing job at creating a love interest that is worth the FMC falling in love with, but doesn’t undermine the rugged warrior aspect of his character, which I do find that many authors fail to properly balance. A prime example of this failure is the characterization of the male love interest in Powerless. 😬 YIKES.
PLOT/PACING
The plot was perfectly paced for the amount of pages the novel was given and kept me actively engaged the entire way through. This was a book I did not want to put down! My only complaint is that I wish it was at LEAST 100 pages longer.
ROMANCE
An additional 100 pages might have better built up the slow burn romance between Julian and Wren… While I’m a huge fan of their individual characters and this did cause me to really care for their growing romance, I do wish that the gradual transition from their tenuous alliance into something more could have been slower. But I truly do believe that Preto did the best with the pages she had, and obviously it didn’t much impact my overall view on the novel, as I did rate this 5 stars.
ENDING
The plot twists at the end were seen coming, at least for me, but still, it didn’t really bother me!
That is purely because these plot twists aren’t just for shock value. Often, I see authors use plot twists purely for shock value rather than adding some huge world-changing element to the story, but the plot twists at the end of Bonesmith take the story in an intriguing direction and really do make me excited for the sequel/conclusion to the duology. I’m really happy with where the story ended and the direction the series is headed and absolutely CANNOT wait to read more when Ghostsmith releases.
If anyone wants to send me an ARC of the sequel, I will literally beg on my metaphorical hands and knees over email, just say the word.
IN CONCLUSION
I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to fans of dystopian and fantasy, as this novel has crossover appeal to both.
I am truly loving this reemergence of dystopian literature after the virus that shall not be named! Dystopian reached its peak in the 2000s-early 2010s with iconic novels such as The Hunger Games and Divergent which spearheaded the genre. But Bonesmith calls back to more under-the-radar dystopian with Enclave and Partials The growth of the YA genre in terms of character development, plot and pacing, and writing maturity and style is so underappreciated and I’m just putting this in here to really pay homage to this growth. Dystopian literature deserves to reemerge after the growth of the YA genre, and THRIVE! And I’m also loving the melding together of the dystopian and fantasy genres, creating something new with two old-as-time concepts!
👻 Tidbits to Expect ☠️
- Necromancy
- Ghost Hunting
- Battle Scenes
- Fantasy Trials & Competition
- Hate to Love romance
- Quest or Journey
- Only One Bed Trope (but done in a unique way)
- Tending to Injury trope
- A sarcastic, badass female character
Throne of Glass meets The Bone Witch in this dark, upper YA fantasy rife with necromancy, ghost-hunting, and treacherous journeys through deadly wastelands.
This one truly snuck up on me . . .
At the start, I was enjoying Bonesmith and had this pegged for a four star, or at worst, a high three star… Then somewhere along the way, things started shifting into place until, in the last 50 pages, I had to stop in shock and wonder if this actually just became a 5-star favorite without me even noticing.
The novel follows Wren Graven, the bonesmith daughter of Vance Graven and niece to the martyr Locke Graven who’s proclaimed to be the savior of the Dominions from the deadly revenants of the Breachlands. Wren’s entire life is dedicated to making her infamously unimpressed father proud, but when her final trial to become a valkyr (a ghost fighting warrior basically) is sabotaged by her cousin, Inara, Wren is exiled from the House of Bone by her apathetic grandmother—who’s never truly liked Wren due to her controversial birth to an anonymous woman from the warfront two decades ago when the Border Wall was first erected to keep the Breach’s monsters out. Exhiled to the Border Wall, Wren is desperate to make a name for herself and regain acceptance to the House of Bone, which she is the heir to. When the House of Gold prince, Leo, is kidnapped on an inspection past the Border Wall and dragged into the Breach by the previously thought extinct ironsmiths, Wren is determined to rescue him. Together with Julian, the ironsmith heir and kidnapper-turned-ally after his companions attempt to assassinate him, Wren traverses into the Haunted Territory—the most dangerous, ghost-filled territory of the Breach—where she realizes that everything she’s been taught, about the war against the revenants and the long-extinct ghostsmiths said to control the dead, is a lie.
CHARACTERS
I am utterly in love with Wren’s character. If you are a fan of Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass, then this is your book! Wren is sarcastic, badass, hella flirty, and so egotistical and impulsive it often lands her in trouble. She’s rebellious of the rules and with a ravenous curiosity that cannot be quenched. Her overconfidence is endearing in the way it highlights her human flaws and entertaining in the ways she makes others—especially Julian—uncomfortable with her raunchy behavior.
Also, I HAVE to mention the scene where Wren uses the breastplate of Julian’s armor (WHILE HE’S WEARING IT) as a mirror. “Uses male love interest’s armor as mirror” is a new trope I didn’t know existed and now don’t know if I should be ashamed of loving so much. 🤷🏼♀️
Julian is the perfect balance of both hard-edged and softer qualities. He’s brooding, formidable, and reserved while at the same time contemplative, charming, and insecure. I think Preto did an amazing job at creating a love interest that is worth the FMC falling in love with, but doesn’t undermine the rugged warrior aspect of his character, which I do find that many authors fail to properly balance. A prime example of this failure is the characterization of the male love interest in Powerless. 😬 YIKES.
PLOT/PACING
The plot was perfectly paced for the amount of pages the novel was given and kept me actively engaged the entire way through. This was a book I did not want to put down! My only complaint is that I wish it was at LEAST 100 pages longer.
ROMANCE
An additional 100 pages might have better built up the slow burn romance between Julian and Wren… While I’m a huge fan of their individual characters and this did cause me to really care for their growing romance, I do wish that the gradual transition from their tenuous alliance into something more could have been slower. But I truly do believe that Preto did the best with the pages she had, and obviously it didn’t much impact my overall view on the novel, as I did rate this 5 stars.
ENDING
The plot twists at the end were seen coming, at least for me, but still, it didn’t really bother me!
That is purely because these plot twists aren’t just for shock value. Often, I see authors use plot twists purely for shock value rather than adding some huge world-changing element to the story, but the plot twists at the end of Bonesmith take the story in an intriguing direction and really do make me excited for the sequel/conclusion to the duology. I’m really happy with where the story ended and the direction the series is headed and absolutely CANNOT wait to read more when Ghostsmith releases.
If anyone wants to send me an ARC of the sequel, I will literally beg on my metaphorical hands and knees over email, just say the word.
IN CONCLUSION
I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to fans of dystopian and fantasy, as this novel has crossover appeal to both.
I am truly loving this reemergence of dystopian literature after the virus that shall not be named! Dystopian reached its peak in the 2000s-early 2010s with iconic novels such as The Hunger Games and Divergent which spearheaded the genre. But Bonesmith calls back to more under-the-radar dystopian with Enclave and Partials The growth of the YA genre in terms of character development, plot and pacing, and writing maturity and style is so underappreciated and I’m just putting this in here to really pay homage to this growth. Dystopian literature deserves to reemerge after the growth of the YA genre, and THRIVE! And I’m also loving the melding together of the dystopian and fantasy genres, creating something new with two old-as-time concepts!
👻 Tidbits to Expect ☠️
- Necromancy
- Ghost Hunting
- Battle Scenes
- Fantasy Trials & Competition
- Hate to Love romance
- Quest or Journey
- Only One Bed Trope (but done in a unique way)
- Tending to Injury trope
- A sarcastic, badass female character
August 1, 2023
This is now the third arc I've read in a row that made its way onto my ultimate favourite books list, so you could say I've had an amazing reading month. Hopefully this continues with the next arc as well.
So I've heard of Nicki Pau Preto before, I've had her Crown of Feathers series on my tbr since 2019, and have been wanting to read them since 2018 at least. But I was always waiting to get physical copies which didn't happen yet, but after reading Bonesmith I'm going to be prioritising them.
Bonesmith has a gorgeous cover, an interesting world, good storyline and lovable characters. It also has ghosts.
I wasn't sure about the ghosts at first, or rather the undead. I tend to associate them more with paranormal books, but they were worked well into the story and I ended up loving them. Especially the one more prominent undead character.
Another thing that was a bit off at the start was the pacing. I wouldn't call the whole book slow paced, but the beginning definitely was. And it was a little info heavy too. If you have the patience to sit through it though, it's worth it.
The middle is medium paced and the end pretty fast paced, so you could say this book has it all. And it really does.
The romance might seem like a love triangle at first, but if you don't like that trope then worry not, it's not really a triangle. One pairing is pretty obvious and the other is very friendly, and when all three of them meet there's no hard feelings or jealousy.
Also this is one of the very few YA books where I actually *like* who the mc goes for, but again it's not a triangle, but still. Usually my luck would have me favouring the other guy regardless, and while I do love him, I'm very fond of his friendly bond with Wren.
So yes the romance, I shipped it instantly, like before you could even snap your fingers. I just knew they'd be a good fit together. I so enjoyed them journeying together, their banter, the tension!!!
Which in turn reminds me, this is upper YA, I believe? Because the love interest is almost 20 and Wren is 17, but some of the jokes included make me think it's meant for the upper YA and above crowd.
Anyway, Wren was a very fun main character to follow, because she was selfish for a lot of the book, and she had to unlearn that in order to do what's right. But I liked that she was reckless and did whatever she wanted to, no matter the consequences.
Julian and Leo were both lovely too, and they also got PoVs of their own. Leo's PoV came first, but we had to wait a bit for Julian's so I wasn't even sure if we'd get it. I'm hoping we'll get even more in the next book.
I did see some of the twists coming, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this to the fullest. I am still so intrigued by Wren's family history and I can't wait to see what else we'll learn about it.
I'm super glad this is going to be a trilogy, because a duology simply would not have been enough.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
So I've heard of Nicki Pau Preto before, I've had her Crown of Feathers series on my tbr since 2019, and have been wanting to read them since 2018 at least. But I was always waiting to get physical copies which didn't happen yet, but after reading Bonesmith I'm going to be prioritising them.
Bonesmith has a gorgeous cover, an interesting world, good storyline and lovable characters. It also has ghosts.
I wasn't sure about the ghosts at first, or rather the undead. I tend to associate them more with paranormal books, but they were worked well into the story and I ended up loving them. Especially the one more prominent undead character.
Another thing that was a bit off at the start was the pacing. I wouldn't call the whole book slow paced, but the beginning definitely was. And it was a little info heavy too. If you have the patience to sit through it though, it's worth it.
The middle is medium paced and the end pretty fast paced, so you could say this book has it all. And it really does.
The romance might seem like a love triangle at first, but if you don't like that trope then worry not, it's not really a triangle. One pairing is pretty obvious and the other is very friendly, and when all three of them meet there's no hard feelings or jealousy.
Also this is one of the very few YA books where I actually *like* who the mc goes for, but again it's not a triangle, but still. Usually my luck would have me favouring the other guy regardless, and while I do love him, I'm very fond of his friendly bond with Wren.
So yes the romance, I shipped it instantly, like before you could even snap your fingers. I just knew they'd be a good fit together. I so enjoyed them journeying together, their banter, the tension!!!
Which in turn reminds me, this is upper YA, I believe? Because the love interest is almost 20 and Wren is 17, but some of the jokes included make me think it's meant for the upper YA and above crowd.
Anyway, Wren was a very fun main character to follow, because she was selfish for a lot of the book, and she had to unlearn that in order to do what's right. But I liked that she was reckless and did whatever she wanted to, no matter the consequences.
Julian and Leo were both lovely too, and they also got PoVs of their own. Leo's PoV came first, but we had to wait a bit for Julian's so I wasn't even sure if we'd get it. I'm hoping we'll get even more in the next book.
I did see some of the twists coming, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this to the fullest. I am still so intrigued by Wren's family history and I can't wait to see what else we'll learn about it.
I'm super glad this is going to be a trilogy, because a duology simply would not have been enough.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
October 30, 2024
"Death is not the end."
I didn't know much about Bonesmith going into it, but I had high hopes. It was one of those books that I just had a feeling I'd love, from the eerie cover to the synopsis. A lot of pressure for a book by an author unknown to me, but I loved it even more than I thought I would!
Bonesmith is a fast paced adventure with an interesting world and magic. The characters are great and had chemistry; their banter was actually fun and had me chuckling a few times. The action scenes really had you in the moment and worried for the character's well-being.
Wren and Julian's romance was everything. There's not too much of it; it's just building the foundation. It was built up throughout the story, as they spend all that time travelling together to rescue Prince Leo.
This is a duology, which is perfect. The ending has me so hyped for what comes next!
__
After a kidnapping attempt goes awry and is only partially successful, Wren is left with the task of rescuing the prince with the help of one of her would-be captors. Throw in a land divided and a lot of ghosts, some still occupying their corpses, and you get a brilliant read.
October 29, 2024
3.5 ★
main thoughts:
when I first started reading this book it was a bit slow the first 100 to 200 pages weren’t my favorite, I think they were just giving us a lot of history all at once but I pushed through. I think I was just more excited for some action tbh😭 I’m ngl there were times I was sorta bored during this book, but I think the writing style was a little different compared to what I’ve been reading lately. There were also times where I was entertained and enjoying myself. I definitely think this book was setting us up for what’s to come. I think I was having fun the most when wren was having interactions with julian and just basically going on her own little adventure. Now that I think about it though this book involves a lot of traveling and discovering so keep that in mind as well.
𓉸ྀི ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆
⠀⠀⠀⠀
I think the concept of this book was fun and I loved the supernatural elements and that ghosts were involved cause I don’t think I’ve actually read a book with ghosts in it, at least I don’t think so. But for a ya fantasy it wasn’t bad I would say decent overall👀 I definitely think if I read this years ago I would have been more obsessed with it. I think the middle and the end were my favorite parts, although I didn't find anything too shocking in this book I’m mostly just intrigued on what’s to come. Do I wish there was more action at times? Yes, but maybe I'm just a sucker for action and suspense.
characters:
Wren: I loved her, she might be reckless but she's also bold and fearless. I also liked her character growth and the fact that she actually tries to learn from her mistakes and realize what she did wrong. She is a little more immature than some fmcs I've read about but she is seventeen and she's still learning.
Julian: I really am a softie for him, he reminds me of a cinnamon roll and I love that when he believes in something he's in it for the long haul. I do wish we got more of his backstory and more information from him because I feel like there is still a lot I would like to learn from him. We also deserve more of his povs for sure!!
Leo: I loved him more than I was expecting to he is more of the humorous and flirty fun character which I absolutely adore and honestly he was just vibing this whole book😆
if I also didn't like these characters then I would probably hate the book cause they are all my favs and I loved seeing them as a trio🤭
romance:
Don't go into this book expecting heavy romance because for one its a more plot heavy book and two its also a young adult novel😭 the bit of romance we did get though was a little fast in my opinion and somehow slow at the same time. But I do see the potential, I would like to see it fleshed out a little more cause i already love them, but I would love them even more if it was build up a bit or if they had met earlier and then began building up a romance. Im not hating though!!
quotes I loved:💗
“I thought you said I was mad.”
He shrugged. “You are. I also think you’re brave.”
“I don’t want to finish this crossing without you,” he continued, voice low. “We—you and I—we’re good together”
“You might be my only friend, Wren Graven. So I’m in this with you, for better or worse.”
“But Wren was ready, and she didn’t need Ghostbane or Ironheart because she was a blade—a weapon to be wielded, a force to be reckoned with.
And she would defeat the undead.”
°•*⁀➷
extra:
overall this wasn’t bad, I wish I did like this book more, but I still enjoyed myself and want to read the next book because im curious and im hoping it will pick up more because of what we know now and because its the conclusion to everything. This book isn’t for everyone though and I would possibly recommend it for some people but it’s up to you. I think it might be more for a target audience though🤷♀️
pre review:
I have lots of different feelings🫣 rtc
⚔️pre read:👻
This has been on my tbr for a little while and the concept of the book sounds interesting 👀 I feel like not a lot of my friends on here have read this, so I’m here to put it to the test
main thoughts:
when I first started reading this book it was a bit slow the first 100 to 200 pages weren’t my favorite, I think they were just giving us a lot of history all at once but I pushed through. I think I was just more excited for some action tbh😭 I’m ngl there were times I was sorta bored during this book, but I think the writing style was a little different compared to what I’ve been reading lately. There were also times where I was entertained and enjoying myself. I definitely think this book was setting us up for what’s to come. I think I was having fun the most when wren was having interactions with julian and just basically going on her own little adventure. Now that I think about it though this book involves a lot of traveling and discovering so keep that in mind as well.
𓉸ྀི ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆
⠀⠀⠀⠀
I think the concept of this book was fun and I loved the supernatural elements and that ghosts were involved cause I don’t think I’ve actually read a book with ghosts in it, at least I don’t think so. But for a ya fantasy it wasn’t bad I would say decent overall👀 I definitely think if I read this years ago I would have been more obsessed with it. I think the middle and the end were my favorite parts, although I didn't find anything too shocking in this book I’m mostly just intrigued on what’s to come. Do I wish there was more action at times? Yes, but maybe I'm just a sucker for action and suspense.
characters:
Wren: I loved her, she might be reckless but she's also bold and fearless. I also liked her character growth and the fact that she actually tries to learn from her mistakes and realize what she did wrong. She is a little more immature than some fmcs I've read about but she is seventeen and she's still learning.
Julian: I really am a softie for him, he reminds me of a cinnamon roll and I love that when he believes in something he's in it for the long haul. I do wish we got more of his backstory and more information from him because I feel like there is still a lot I would like to learn from him. We also deserve more of his povs for sure!!
Leo: I loved him more than I was expecting to he is more of the humorous and flirty fun character which I absolutely adore and honestly he was just vibing this whole book😆
if I also didn't like these characters then I would probably hate the book cause they are all my favs and I loved seeing them as a trio🤭
romance:
Don't go into this book expecting heavy romance because for one its a more plot heavy book and two its also a young adult novel😭 the bit of romance we did get though was a little fast in my opinion and somehow slow at the same time. But I do see the potential, I would like to see it fleshed out a little more cause i already love them, but I would love them even more if it was build up a bit or if they had met earlier and then began building up a romance. Im not hating though!!
quotes I loved:💗
“I thought you said I was mad.”
He shrugged. “You are. I also think you’re brave.”
“I don’t want to finish this crossing without you,” he continued, voice low. “We—you and I—we’re good together”
“You might be my only friend, Wren Graven. So I’m in this with you, for better or worse.”
“But Wren was ready, and she didn’t need Ghostbane or Ironheart because she was a blade—a weapon to be wielded, a force to be reckoned with.
And she would defeat the undead.”
°•*⁀➷
extra:
overall this wasn’t bad, I wish I did like this book more, but I still enjoyed myself and want to read the next book because im curious and im hoping it will pick up more because of what we know now and because its the conclusion to everything. This book isn’t for everyone though and I would possibly recommend it for some people but it’s up to you. I think it might be more for a target audience though🤷♀️
pre review:
I have lots of different feelings🫣 rtc
⚔️pre read:👻
This has been on my tbr for a little while and the concept of the book sounds interesting 👀 I feel like not a lot of my friends on here have read this, so I’m here to put it to the test
May 17, 2024
This was a hugely unexpected 5 star read from me. It's been sitting on my shelves since August 2023 and I picked it up on a whim, and boy am I glad I gave this one a go because I had an absolute blast.
Wren is sassy and a badass and I adore her. The atmosphere in this was phenomenal and the world building. I'm so excited to get to the second (and final) book in this series. I truly didn't anticipate loving this as much as I did. What a truly unexpected but very much appreciated win!
Wren is sassy and a badass and I adore her. The atmosphere in this was phenomenal and the world building. I'm so excited to get to the second (and final) book in this series. I truly didn't anticipate loving this as much as I did. What a truly unexpected but very much appreciated win!
January 12, 2025
This was fun! Very fast pace with undead action scenes every other chapter.
This world is very intriguing to me with all the different smiths that specialise in different materials (goldsmith, ironsmith, woodsmith etc) and how the history of the world has made some smiths extinct.
The book starts off diving straight into the action with the Bonewood trial, I went into this book without even reading the synopsis so everything that happened in and after the trial was surprising and infuriating.
I also didn’t expect a romance in this book so that was a very welcomed addition especially as its just then 2 of them on this journey most of the book. The enemies to lovers tension was delicious
I will definitely be reading the next book because I need to know what is next for our characters
This world is very intriguing to me with all the different smiths that specialise in different materials (goldsmith, ironsmith, woodsmith etc) and how the history of the world has made some smiths extinct.
The book starts off diving straight into the action with the Bonewood trial, I went into this book without even reading the synopsis so everything that happened in and after the trial was surprising and infuriating.
I also didn’t expect a romance in this book so that was a very welcomed addition especially as its just then 2 of them on this journey most of the book. The enemies to lovers tension was delicious
I will definitely be reading the next book because I need to know what is next for our characters
September 23, 2023
I absolutely LOVED this!
I’ve talked about this almost nonstop on my YT channel and it’s for a good reason: it’s an amazing YA fantasy. It was so refreshing to read! I loved the characters, the magic system, the writing: all of it. I cannot wait for book 2!
5/5⭐️
I’ve talked about this almost nonstop on my YT channel and it’s for a good reason: it’s an amazing YA fantasy. It was so refreshing to read! I loved the characters, the magic system, the writing: all of it. I cannot wait for book 2!
5/5⭐️
February 4, 2025
Me, squealing over a young adult fantasy?!
Gideon the Ninth but for Young Adults and not in space.
This was so much fun and I will be adding it to my - yes, YA can still be good.
Wren is a bonesmith, tasked with fighting violent ghosts to protect the populace so ghosts can be severed from their bones. She is set up to fail her trial and is banished to the Breach. When the Prince is kidnapped, Wren teams up with one of the kidnappers (who is then betrayed and almost killed by his team) to rescue the King and figure out what on earth is going on.
Wren starts off as a headstrong, stubborn, reckless, annoyingly arrogant heroine dreaming of glory. Her character development was incredible - she remains brave and making stupid decisions, yet she realises she doesn’t know everything and isn’t always fearless.
Julian is encased in iron, but his inside is soft. Wren and him are opposites, yet they learn to trust each other - from enemies to allies.
She had never been chosen before, and certainly not by someone who had seen all her faults and shortcomings firsthand.
Leo, the Gold Prince, had me CACKLING. He is charming, flirtatious, witty, and more clever than people give him credit for.
We get POVs from all three of them with Wren taking centre stage. Getting in each of their head’s just proves how distinct they are.
The descriptions of everything were vivid and dark and creepy.
“They sought to use us, to kill and capture and shuffle us around. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being a pawn. I want to be a player. I’m in.”
That ending?!!! Ughhhh, I am seated.
Bookstagram
Gideon the Ninth but for Young Adults and not in space.
This was so much fun and I will be adding it to my - yes, YA can still be good.
Wren is a bonesmith, tasked with fighting violent ghosts to protect the populace so ghosts can be severed from their bones. She is set up to fail her trial and is banished to the Breach. When the Prince is kidnapped, Wren teams up with one of the kidnappers (who is then betrayed and almost killed by his team) to rescue the King and figure out what on earth is going on.
Wren starts off as a headstrong, stubborn, reckless, annoyingly arrogant heroine dreaming of glory. Her character development was incredible - she remains brave and making stupid decisions, yet she realises she doesn’t know everything and isn’t always fearless.
Julian is encased in iron, but his inside is soft. Wren and him are opposites, yet they learn to trust each other - from enemies to allies.
She had never been chosen before, and certainly not by someone who had seen all her faults and shortcomings firsthand.
Leo, the Gold Prince, had me CACKLING. He is charming, flirtatious, witty, and more clever than people give him credit for.
We get POVs from all three of them with Wren taking centre stage. Getting in each of their head’s just proves how distinct they are.
The descriptions of everything were vivid and dark and creepy.
“They sought to use us, to kill and capture and shuffle us around. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being a pawn. I want to be a player. I’m in.”
That ending?!!! Ughhhh, I am seated.
Bookstagram
December 4, 2023
I’m often reading 3 books at once.
An audio, a physical and a kindle.
But I love it when a book demands all my attention. It makes me seek other mediums so I can read with less interruptions. And this book, Bonesmith, kept my undivided attention.
Ahhhh! Seriously, who is Nicki Pau Preto? This ish was great.
TBH, as shocking and stunning as The Locked Tomb series is… this was much more my pace.
I picked this up for #nohypeNovember (but it snuck into early December- eh, it’s okay! I’m glad it kept it on my TBR).
So ready for book 2, it’s going on my most anticipated list (slated for Aug 2024).
4.5/5 ⭐️
An audio, a physical and a kindle.
But I love it when a book demands all my attention. It makes me seek other mediums so I can read with less interruptions. And this book, Bonesmith, kept my undivided attention.
Ahhhh! Seriously, who is Nicki Pau Preto? This ish was great.
TBH, as shocking and stunning as The Locked Tomb series is… this was much more my pace.
I picked this up for #nohypeNovember (but it snuck into early December- eh, it’s okay! I’m glad it kept it on my TBR).
So ready for book 2, it’s going on my most anticipated list (slated for Aug 2024).
4.5/5 ⭐️
November 4, 2023
i think only lesbians should be allowed to do bone magic
March 24, 2024
predictable from the start, but written well & i will definitely pick up the sequel when it comes out
December 10, 2025
“Death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise”.
Las comparaciones no están bien. Ni entre personas ni entre libros. Si es un calco de un libro ahí sí tenemos problema. Me han comparado este libro con Gideon La Novena, saga que adoro y pongo en un pedestal. ¿Se parece? Vaya que sí, pero solo por el simple hecho que el libro trata de nigromantes y sus poderes con hueso. Yo lo admito, este tipo de argumento es uno de mis muchos puntos débiles; nigromantes, espíritus, espadas hechas de hueso. ¿Dónde hay que firmar? Tome todo mi dinero.
“To find. To fight. To free. So the living may thrive... and the dead may rest in peace”.
Ahora bien. Esta novela como todas tiene sus puntos fuertes y sus puntos débiles. Empezando por lo fuerte, la idea de la novela es buena. Puedes perderte un poco porque te mete en un mundo de fantasía completamente nuevo para ti, incluso con vocabulario específico y un sistema de magia particular. Entendible.
Otro punto fuerte es el sistema de magia, si bien no es nada innovador la autora lo ha dejado bien desarrollado así como una buena ambientación lúgubre y oscura y llena de fuegos fatuos (al menos yo lo veía así). Imagínate la portada pues igual toda la novela. No hay colores cálidos.
El ritmo también es bueno y te mantiene en vilo. La prosa de la autora ayuda a ello y no se hace tampoco densa. Lo único que te puede perder es que si estás empezando a leer en inglés y nunca habías leído fantasia medieval estarás un poco agobiado, pero una vez entras a la historia se hace pan comido.
“Wren was everything that was wrong with this world, but she was algo the only thing that was right. The only thing that made sense”.
Ahora, en cuanto a puntos negativos se refiere tenemos a los personajes. Los he sentido superficiales por no llamarlos planos. Siento que tienen buen desarrollo interpersonal pero desde un punto de vista de carisma y en cuanto a relaciones entre otros personajes se me han quedado cortos. Además, tampoco he entendido la necesidad de añadir romance. Siento que la autora solo lo ha hecho para añadir drama y sinceramente esto de amor tiene muy poco.
“Of stories and reputation. But there’s something people respond to beyond all that, something that cannot be faked or misconstrued, and it’s power”.
Otra cosa que me molestó un poco fue el uso de clichés. Hay algunos que se veían ver a distancia, otro, he de admitir que no me lo esperaba. Me pillo por sorpresa. No le ha quedado mal la jugada incluso el final le quedo del diez.
En conclusión. Me ha gustado mucho sí, pero ni de coña al nivel de Gideon La Novena. No lo comparen. Por favor. Son dos novelas independientes.
“Come to me when you are ready to know more. Come to us. I know you feel it. Blood calls to blood and like to like”.
Las comparaciones no están bien. Ni entre personas ni entre libros. Si es un calco de un libro ahí sí tenemos problema. Me han comparado este libro con Gideon La Novena, saga que adoro y pongo en un pedestal. ¿Se parece? Vaya que sí, pero solo por el simple hecho que el libro trata de nigromantes y sus poderes con hueso. Yo lo admito, este tipo de argumento es uno de mis muchos puntos débiles; nigromantes, espíritus, espadas hechas de hueso. ¿Dónde hay que firmar? Tome todo mi dinero.
“To find. To fight. To free. So the living may thrive... and the dead may rest in peace”.
Ahora bien. Esta novela como todas tiene sus puntos fuertes y sus puntos débiles. Empezando por lo fuerte, la idea de la novela es buena. Puedes perderte un poco porque te mete en un mundo de fantasía completamente nuevo para ti, incluso con vocabulario específico y un sistema de magia particular. Entendible.
Otro punto fuerte es el sistema de magia, si bien no es nada innovador la autora lo ha dejado bien desarrollado así como una buena ambientación lúgubre y oscura y llena de fuegos fatuos (al menos yo lo veía así). Imagínate la portada pues igual toda la novela. No hay colores cálidos.
El ritmo también es bueno y te mantiene en vilo. La prosa de la autora ayuda a ello y no se hace tampoco densa. Lo único que te puede perder es que si estás empezando a leer en inglés y nunca habías leído fantasia medieval estarás un poco agobiado, pero una vez entras a la historia se hace pan comido.
“Wren was everything that was wrong with this world, but she was algo the only thing that was right. The only thing that made sense”.
Ahora, en cuanto a puntos negativos se refiere tenemos a los personajes. Los he sentido superficiales por no llamarlos planos. Siento que tienen buen desarrollo interpersonal pero desde un punto de vista de carisma y en cuanto a relaciones entre otros personajes se me han quedado cortos. Además, tampoco he entendido la necesidad de añadir romance. Siento que la autora solo lo ha hecho para añadir drama y sinceramente esto de amor tiene muy poco.
“Of stories and reputation. But there’s something people respond to beyond all that, something that cannot be faked or misconstrued, and it’s power”.
Otra cosa que me molestó un poco fue el uso de clichés. Hay algunos que se veían ver a distancia, otro, he de admitir que no me lo esperaba. Me pillo por sorpresa. No le ha quedado mal la jugada incluso el final le quedo del diez.
En conclusión. Me ha gustado mucho sí, pero ni de coña al nivel de Gideon La Novena. No lo comparen. Por favor. Son dos novelas independientes.
“Come to me when you are ready to know more. Come to us. I know you feel it. Blood calls to blood and like to like”.
September 4, 2024
Really solid YA fantasy. Unique world and magic system and some good character banter!
August 21, 2024
8/21/24: about to start the second book now & just hope it lives up to the bar it set for me in the first 😩😂
Honestly.. what can I say. This was a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed this; from the development of relations between MC’s, to the unique magic system , to traversing this world, to the looming mystery that unfolds imo perfectly. I loved this book. I dare say it’s one of my faves of 2024.
Wren is a little headstrong , constantly pushing herself and is just looking for some validation from a pretty shitty family.
Leo being the 3rd* prince in line is clearly royal but also has such a funny characterization but is also clearly quite cunning and smart.
Julian .. man .. listen lol I loved that guy . It was something about the how he’d say things to Wren and just like their development of feelings and attempts at vulnerability that just had me immediately put him on the book boyfriend list.
But wait !! This also isn’t like a romantic heavy book , but it makes you feel like a giddy little schoolgirl with a crush.
There were twists I did NOT see coming toward the end and they really had me a little distressed. Thankfully it doesn’t end on like a major cliffhanger but still will have you ready to continue to journey with these folks.
It’s also in more of a 3rd person POV which I think was perfect for this instead of being like a chapter to chapter viewpoint change .
The only thing I’d change is maybe building the secondary characters up a bit more? But truth be told I didn’t really care about em and hopefully the second book we will get to see a little more and get some more info on them.
Honestly.. what can I say. This was a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed this; from the development of relations between MC’s, to the unique magic system , to traversing this world, to the looming mystery that unfolds imo perfectly. I loved this book. I dare say it’s one of my faves of 2024.
Wren is a little headstrong , constantly pushing herself and is just looking for some validation from a pretty shitty family.
Leo being the 3rd* prince in line is clearly royal but also has such a funny characterization but is also clearly quite cunning and smart.
Julian .. man .. listen lol I loved that guy . It was something about the how he’d say things to Wren and just like their development of feelings and attempts at vulnerability that just had me immediately put him on the book boyfriend list.
But wait !! This also isn’t like a romantic heavy book , but it makes you feel like a giddy little schoolgirl with a crush.
There were twists I did NOT see coming toward the end and they really had me a little distressed. Thankfully it doesn’t end on like a major cliffhanger but still will have you ready to continue to journey with these folks.
It’s also in more of a 3rd person POV which I think was perfect for this instead of being like a chapter to chapter viewpoint change .
The only thing I’d change is maybe building the secondary characters up a bit more? But truth be told I didn’t really care about em and hopefully the second book we will get to see a little more and get some more info on them.
January 28, 2024
2,5/5
Et on part sur une petite déception. Je m’attendais à adorer ce livre, que ce soit limite un coup de coeur et pourtant je l’ai trouvé ultra banal.
Je m’explique : on a une jeune fille qui est la plus talentueuse de son village mais qui va pourtant se faire expulser, on va tenter de la tuer, elle va faire une alliance avec un jeune homme qui cache son identité, une proximité forcée, un petit enemies to lovers, des trahisons totalement prévisibles…
En bref, j’ai trouvé que c’était vu et revu. Cependant, même si je n’ai pas accroché aux trois premiers quarts du livre (oui j’ai persévéré longtemps mdrr), la fin était vraiment chouette, c’était rebondissement sur rebondissement.
L’intrigue politique est interessante mais l’autrice nous noie sous les informations. Il y a beaucoup trop de détails inutiles qui perdent le lecteur avec sans arrêt des références au passé. Il n’y a qu’a la fin ou c’est devenu vraiment plus clair et palpitant. Le système de magie est hyper intrigant, c’est un genre de nécromancie qui est bien expliqué et vraiment original. J’ai beaucoup aimé cet aspect.
Les personnages sont eux aussi assez basiques mais malgré tout attachants. La protagoniste est parfois insupportable mais ça la rend plus humaine, le protagoniste masculin est classique j’ai pas vraiment d’avis sur lui. La romance est bien amenée et assez mignonne mais comme tout le reste : sans plus.
En soit ce n’est pas une mauvaise lecture, c’est simplement moyen. Heureusement que les derniers chapitres m’ont autant plus ! Je ne sais pas si je lirai la suite.
Et on part sur une petite déception. Je m’attendais à adorer ce livre, que ce soit limite un coup de coeur et pourtant je l’ai trouvé ultra banal.
Je m’explique : on a une jeune fille qui est la plus talentueuse de son village mais qui va pourtant se faire expulser, on va tenter de la tuer, elle va faire une alliance avec un jeune homme qui cache son identité, une proximité forcée, un petit enemies to lovers, des trahisons totalement prévisibles…
En bref, j’ai trouvé que c’était vu et revu. Cependant, même si je n’ai pas accroché aux trois premiers quarts du livre (oui j’ai persévéré longtemps mdrr), la fin était vraiment chouette, c’était rebondissement sur rebondissement.
L’intrigue politique est interessante mais l’autrice nous noie sous les informations. Il y a beaucoup trop de détails inutiles qui perdent le lecteur avec sans arrêt des références au passé. Il n’y a qu’a la fin ou c’est devenu vraiment plus clair et palpitant. Le système de magie est hyper intrigant, c’est un genre de nécromancie qui est bien expliqué et vraiment original. J’ai beaucoup aimé cet aspect.
Les personnages sont eux aussi assez basiques mais malgré tout attachants. La protagoniste est parfois insupportable mais ça la rend plus humaine, le protagoniste masculin est classique j’ai pas vraiment d’avis sur lui. La romance est bien amenée et assez mignonne mais comme tout le reste : sans plus.
En soit ce n’est pas une mauvaise lecture, c’est simplement moyen. Heureusement que les derniers chapitres m’ont autant plus ! Je ne sais pas si je lirai la suite.
September 1, 2024
4.5 stars
”Wren was everything that was wrong with his world, but she was also the only thing that was right. The only thing that made sense.”
this was sooooo good. while it did have a bit of a slow start and the world building was pretty overwhelming at first (definitely upper ya), this book really grew on me and became one of my favorite reads of 2023. wren, julian, and leo were all amazing and funny and i can’t wait to read more about them.
if you love necromancers and books like gideon the ninth, you should definitely give this a try :)
”Wren was everything that was wrong with his world, but she was also the only thing that was right. The only thing that made sense.”
this was sooooo good. while it did have a bit of a slow start and the world building was pretty overwhelming at first (definitely upper ya), this book really grew on me and became one of my favorite reads of 2023. wren, julian, and leo were all amazing and funny and i can’t wait to read more about them.
if you love necromancers and books like gideon the ninth, you should definitely give this a try :)
December 4, 2023
This book was amazing! YOU MUST READ THIS! The plot, the characters, the action were all 5 star! Julian and Wren have a perfect enemies to lovers storyline that I loved reading. The world was also easily described and I was never confused or bored at anytime throughout the almost 500 pages. I loved the whole concept.
My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer! Now I’m stuck waiting for the next one to come out for the adventure to continue!
My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer! Now I’m stuck waiting for the next one to come out for the adventure to continue!
December 19, 2023
Kudos to Nicki Pau Preto for coming up with a very unique magic style! Technically there’s multiple magics but the different types of death magic: bone smiths vs the exterminated ghost magic… I can’t wait for the second book to continue expanding the political drama and to learn more about lost magic 👀
August 25, 2024
"Jamais il n'avait autant désiré l'embrasser. Mauvaise idée."
J'ai lu La forgeuse d'os de Nicki Pau Preto, publié en français chez les éditions Lumen.
Note finale : 4⭐️
✨ à lire si tu aimes ces tropes :
* dark fantasy young adult
* enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
* magie/nécromancie
* proximité forcée
* couteau sous la gorge
* royauté/intrigues et complots politiques
* ils vont se soigner/s'aider
* un léger début de found family
* des trahisons
* récit troisième personne
attention aux avertissements de contenu : sang, meurtres, violence, blessures, spectres, tentative de meurtres, enlèvement, injustice, corps morts
C'est une duologie :
• La Forgeuse d'Os (T.1) — 4⭐️
• La reine des spectres (T.2) — sort le 12 septembre 2024 en français
Les citations que j'aimé :
“Impressionnant, reconnut-il à contrecœur.
Il lui faisait un compliment !
— Tu pourrais être poissonnière, ajouta-t-il.
Tout compte fait, ce n’était pas si flatteur.”
“[...] Je croyais que pour toi, nous deux, c’était
une mauvaise idée ?
— Tu n’es pas de mon avis ? répliqua le forge-fer en soutenant son regard.
Elle haussa les épaules, feignant l’indifférence.
— Peut-être que j’aime ça, moi, les mauvaises idées.”
“La mort et l’aube marchent main dans la main et chaque jour qui se lève voit l’éveil de nouveaux défunts.”
“Tu n’as jamais envisagé de devenir fauchyr ?
— Pas une seule seconde, répondit Wren sans hésitation. J’ai toujours voulu me battre.
— Quelle surprise ! ironisa-t-il un peu sèchement. Les valkyrs sont-ils tous aussi téméraires que toi ?
— Dans leurs rêves, oui...”
LE RÉSUMÉ
Wren est une forgeuse d’os. Elle s’est préparée toute sa vie pour devenir une valkyr et débarrasser les Dominions des spectres. Malheureusement, tout ne se passe pas comme prévu pendant cette épreuve et la vie de la forgeuse d’os se retrouve complètement chamboulée. Envoyée au mur frontalier, Wren verra l’occasion de redorer son image auprès des siens en portant secours au prince Leopold Valorien. Elle devra également nouer une alliance pour le peu inattendue avec Julian, un combattant d’une maison ennemie.
L'HISTOIRE/L'UNIVERS
Une lecture qui aura presque frôlé le coup de cœur et dont j’attends la conclusion en français avec impatience.
J’ai adoré ma lecture de La forgeuse d’os que j’ai lu avec des copines. J’avais beaucoup entendu parlé de ce livre à sa sortie et je voulais absolument le lire avant que la conclusion ne sorte en librairie en septembre.
Les intrigues de ce premier tome sont bien menées, même si j'ai réussi à anticiper certains rebondissements. Tout était intéressant et j’étais vraiment à fond dans ma lecture du début à la fin.
L'univers m'a immédiatement fait penser à Game of Thrones avec ses Marcheurs Blancs.
Ici, ce sont des spectres, et j'ai vraiment apprécié qu'ils jouent un rôle central tout au long du récit. Leur présence constante en fait l'un des fils conducteurs de l'histoire, et j'ai trouvé que cet aspect était superbement bien exploité. J’ai vraiment adoré l’univers.
La magie associée aux éléments comme l'or, le fer et les os m'a beaucoup plu et je l'ai trouvée plutôt originale. J'ai également adoré l'aspect nécromancie du récit.
J'ai également beaucoup aimé l'aspect politique du récit, qui est bien présent sans alourdir l'intrigue. Tout était bien pensé et tout faisait sens.
LE STYLE/LE RYTHME
J'ai trouvé le rythme dynamique, même si certains passages étaient plus lents pour bien poser les bases de l'univers et de la politique. Cela m'a permis de bien m'immerger dans l'ambiance. Les premiers chapitres m’ont complètement scotché et j’ai enchaîne la suite.
LES PERSONNAGES
J'ai eu un véritable coup de cœur pour les personnages et leurs dynamiques. Je les ai trouvés intelligents et très drôles, surtout Leo.
Wren est une véritable battante, déterminée à ne jamais baisser les bras et à prouver sa valeur. Globalement, j’ai bien aimé sa personnalité, elle qui n’a que 17 ans et qui fait preuve d’un grand courage pour son âge. Elle commet des erreurs, mais cela la rend d'autant plus humaine et réaliste.
Julian m’a beaucoup touché, et j’ai apprécié que l’autrice montre ses faiblesses. C'est agréable de voir un guerrier qui, malgré sa force, se retrouve parfois confronté à ses propres peurs.
Leo est le personnage qui m’a le plus surprise. Il m’a fait rire, et j’ai adoré le découvrir. Il est surprenant, très intelligent, et très malin. Il m’a aussi fait beaucoup de peine.
Les personnages secondaires sont également très bien développés, chaque détail étant soigneusement pensé pour susciter quelques interrogations et c’est ce que j’ai adoré.
LA ROMANCE
Ce qui m’a le moins convaincu dans le récit, c’est la romance. Je n’ai ressenti que très peu d’alchimie amoureuse entre Wren et Julian. Leur relation m’a plutôt semblé amicale, et le passage à une romance m’a paru un peu trop brusque. À part vers la fin, je n’ai pas vraiment perçu de tension entre eux. Cependant, j’ai adoré leurs joutes verbales, qui m’ont fait rire à plusieurs reprises. Ils étaient tout de même très mignons ensemble. La dynamique de leur relation m’a rappelé celle de la duologie Dance of Thieves de Mary E. Pearson, et j’avais peut-être trop d’attentes en raison des similitudes.
EN BREF
Un excellent premier tome que je recommande pour l’automne/hiver !
J'ai lu La forgeuse d'os de Nicki Pau Preto, publié en français chez les éditions Lumen.
Note finale : 4⭐️
✨ à lire si tu aimes ces tropes :
* dark fantasy young adult
* enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
* magie/nécromancie
* proximité forcée
* couteau sous la gorge
* royauté/intrigues et complots politiques
* ils vont se soigner/s'aider
* un léger début de found family
* des trahisons
* récit troisième personne
attention aux avertissements de contenu : sang, meurtres, violence, blessures, spectres, tentative de meurtres, enlèvement, injustice, corps morts
C'est une duologie :
• La Forgeuse d'Os (T.1) — 4⭐️
• La reine des spectres (T.2) — sort le 12 septembre 2024 en français
Les citations que j'aimé :
“Impressionnant, reconnut-il à contrecœur.
Il lui faisait un compliment !
— Tu pourrais être poissonnière, ajouta-t-il.
Tout compte fait, ce n’était pas si flatteur.”
“[...] Je croyais que pour toi, nous deux, c’était
une mauvaise idée ?
— Tu n’es pas de mon avis ? répliqua le forge-fer en soutenant son regard.
Elle haussa les épaules, feignant l’indifférence.
— Peut-être que j’aime ça, moi, les mauvaises idées.”
“La mort et l’aube marchent main dans la main et chaque jour qui se lève voit l’éveil de nouveaux défunts.”
“Tu n’as jamais envisagé de devenir fauchyr ?
— Pas une seule seconde, répondit Wren sans hésitation. J’ai toujours voulu me battre.
— Quelle surprise ! ironisa-t-il un peu sèchement. Les valkyrs sont-ils tous aussi téméraires que toi ?
— Dans leurs rêves, oui...”
LE RÉSUMÉ
Wren est une forgeuse d’os. Elle s’est préparée toute sa vie pour devenir une valkyr et débarrasser les Dominions des spectres. Malheureusement, tout ne se passe pas comme prévu pendant cette épreuve et la vie de la forgeuse d’os se retrouve complètement chamboulée. Envoyée au mur frontalier, Wren verra l’occasion de redorer son image auprès des siens en portant secours au prince Leopold Valorien. Elle devra également nouer une alliance pour le peu inattendue avec Julian, un combattant d’une maison ennemie.
L'HISTOIRE/L'UNIVERS
Une lecture qui aura presque frôlé le coup de cœur et dont j’attends la conclusion en français avec impatience.
J’ai adoré ma lecture de La forgeuse d’os que j’ai lu avec des copines. J’avais beaucoup entendu parlé de ce livre à sa sortie et je voulais absolument le lire avant que la conclusion ne sorte en librairie en septembre.
Les intrigues de ce premier tome sont bien menées, même si j'ai réussi à anticiper certains rebondissements. Tout était intéressant et j’étais vraiment à fond dans ma lecture du début à la fin.
L'univers m'a immédiatement fait penser à Game of Thrones avec ses Marcheurs Blancs.
Ici, ce sont des spectres, et j'ai vraiment apprécié qu'ils jouent un rôle central tout au long du récit. Leur présence constante en fait l'un des fils conducteurs de l'histoire, et j'ai trouvé que cet aspect était superbement bien exploité. J’ai vraiment adoré l’univers.
La magie associée aux éléments comme l'or, le fer et les os m'a beaucoup plu et je l'ai trouvée plutôt originale. J'ai également adoré l'aspect nécromancie du récit.
J'ai également beaucoup aimé l'aspect politique du récit, qui est bien présent sans alourdir l'intrigue. Tout était bien pensé et tout faisait sens.
LE STYLE/LE RYTHME
J'ai trouvé le rythme dynamique, même si certains passages étaient plus lents pour bien poser les bases de l'univers et de la politique. Cela m'a permis de bien m'immerger dans l'ambiance. Les premiers chapitres m’ont complètement scotché et j’ai enchaîne la suite.
LES PERSONNAGES
J'ai eu un véritable coup de cœur pour les personnages et leurs dynamiques. Je les ai trouvés intelligents et très drôles, surtout Leo.
Wren est une véritable battante, déterminée à ne jamais baisser les bras et à prouver sa valeur. Globalement, j’ai bien aimé sa personnalité, elle qui n’a que 17 ans et qui fait preuve d’un grand courage pour son âge. Elle commet des erreurs, mais cela la rend d'autant plus humaine et réaliste.
Julian m’a beaucoup touché, et j’ai apprécié que l’autrice montre ses faiblesses. C'est agréable de voir un guerrier qui, malgré sa force, se retrouve parfois confronté à ses propres peurs.
Leo est le personnage qui m’a le plus surprise. Il m’a fait rire, et j’ai adoré le découvrir. Il est surprenant, très intelligent, et très malin. Il m’a aussi fait beaucoup de peine.
Les personnages secondaires sont également très bien développés, chaque détail étant soigneusement pensé pour susciter quelques interrogations et c’est ce que j’ai adoré.
LA ROMANCE
Ce qui m’a le moins convaincu dans le récit, c’est la romance. Je n’ai ressenti que très peu d’alchimie amoureuse entre Wren et Julian. Leur relation m’a plutôt semblé amicale, et le passage à une romance m’a paru un peu trop brusque. À part vers la fin, je n’ai pas vraiment perçu de tension entre eux. Cependant, j’ai adoré leurs joutes verbales, qui m’ont fait rire à plusieurs reprises. Ils étaient tout de même très mignons ensemble. La dynamique de leur relation m’a rappelé celle de la duologie Dance of Thieves de Mary E. Pearson, et j’avais peut-être trop d’attentes en raison des similitudes.
EN BREF
Un excellent premier tome que je recommande pour l’automne/hiver !
June 26, 2023
5/5 stars, the incredible feeling when one of your most anticipated reads of the year surpasses your expectations
Thank you to Simon Teen and McElderry Books for the physical arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
'Perfect' is the one word I would use to describe this book, the ability to create such a unique and captivating world is astounding and I applaud Nicki Pau Preto for her skills. This book has been on my most anticipated releases for 2023 shelf since I first saw the cover, I mean look at how gorgeous and dark it is, it perfectly captures the vibes of this story. The synopsis is what really got me, and so I reached out to Simon Teen to see if I could grab an arc, assuming I would have to wait like everyone else, but to my surprise, it showed up at my doorstep. This book is just outstanding, every second of reading was well worth it and I can't believe I have to wait a year for the next one to come out, not even mentioning that this book isn't quite out yet!
The lore and worldbuilding for this book were some of the most interesting I've read in a long time. This story takes place in a world where people in these lands called the Dominion, have special powers attuned to one thing or another. For example, there are stonesmiths that control/shape stone and goldsmiths who can control and shape gold, but also bonesmiths and those who handle the supernatural. Wren, the main character, is one of three types of bonesmiths, a Valkyr who can use and control some bone materials to protect another type of bonesmith, the Reapyr. The Reapyrs are the people who are tasked with removing a dead person's soul from their body through a special bone, but all types of bonesmiths used to be feared until the Breach happened. Now, after the wall has been put up around The Haunted Lands, these people are revered for their abilities to fight back the dead in the war that took place, but they aren't so loved by everyone on the other side of the wall.
While there was lots of lore introduced at the beginning it was still so easy for me to keep track of the plot and what had happened with the world because of the writing style. The plot quickly starts off with Wren, trying to complete a bonesmith trial to become a full Valkyr but ends up failing because of someone undermining her. She gets sent to the Border Wall to prove herself or serve there for who knows how long, before a prince visits and she realizes her chance may come sooner than she thought when he's captured and taken into The Haunted Lands. She is forced to team up with Julian, an ironsmith who also needs to hunt the prince, and they discover lots of things about the Haunted Lands and the Breach that neither of them knew about.
Did I see some of the plot points or twists coming? Yes, I did. But it didn't make me love this book any less because of the way they were revealed and how interesting it makes what comes next for the characters. There were lots of things I didn't guess though because while there were hints in the story as you go along, there was also lots of room for tons of speculation. The perfect balance between revealing things and letting those revelations sit with the main character and moving on with the action was perfect. Ultimately though, I think the plot was really character-driven because of all the time and attention spent on depicting Wren and Julian, but also the few chapters we got from Leo's perspective. Everything that happened in the plot affected them greatly, changing their views of the world and forcing them to act in different ways that was growth for them, since character-driven plots are my favorite this worked really well for me.
Wren was the perfect heroine for this story, she's witty, determined, and a little overconfident, but also just wants to prove herself to her family who has never seemed to care. The way she carries herself is a bit of armor, not counting the bone armor she already wears, and ultimately she is such a fleshed-out main character it's so easy to root for her. A lot of what she knew about her life gets turned upside down in this book and yet, she stays herself and does what she can to make things right. I really love her and I hope while she grows in the next book, she never changes, because I found her to be so charming and utterly realistic.
Leo is introduced pretty early on in the story but then gets kidnapped though we do get a few chapters from his point of view that help create a better picture of him. He's charismatic and thinks ten steps ahead of everyone else, and yet still just a prince who wants to live his life how he's supposed to. I love how well he gets along with Wren and how they were able to understand each other, and how it's revealed how resourceful Leo truly is toward the end of this book. He's fascinating and I cannot wait to see what other mischief he gets up to.
Julian is the character that I was completely and utterly obsessed with in this book, he's on the lighter side of the 'dark and broody' character everyone thinks of because he has a softer side but also isn't always brooding. He's honestly just stoic, but also really resourceful because it was amazing to see how he used his powers in this book to help Wren and himself get across the Haunted Lands. He gets betrayed by some people closest to him which makes it harder for him to open up to Wren, but when he does it's so obvious he's a beautiful soul. I have a feeling that there's still a lot we don't know about him, but I hope there are more chapters from his point of view in the next book because those two that were in this book were not enough, I just want to be inside his head even more often.
I was promised some form of enemies to lovers and oh did I get that, not to mention how slow burn it ended up being, let me explain. While it was obvious from the beginning that Wren and Julian were slowly going to think of each other less as enemies and more as tentative allies, honestly it didn't feel rushed. They were quickly thrust into a world they didn't know and had to fight very well together to survive, not to mention the plot twists at the end that affected this growth. I cannot wait to see more of their relationship in the second book, and I love their banter so much. The slight slow burn really allowed this to feel more natural than some other books.
As well, I think the friendship between Leo and Wren was really sweet, they both needed someone who understood them and they both do excellent for each other. They're also both really mischievous but good at undermining people, and this fits together well. I'm glad they're going to have a great platonic relationship, as I definitely think there needs to be more of that in books too.
[TW: dead bodies, child birth complications mentioned, death of a loved one mentioned, kidnapping, murder, blood and gore]
Thank you to Simon Teen and McElderry Books for the physical arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
'Perfect' is the one word I would use to describe this book, the ability to create such a unique and captivating world is astounding and I applaud Nicki Pau Preto for her skills. This book has been on my most anticipated releases for 2023 shelf since I first saw the cover, I mean look at how gorgeous and dark it is, it perfectly captures the vibes of this story. The synopsis is what really got me, and so I reached out to Simon Teen to see if I could grab an arc, assuming I would have to wait like everyone else, but to my surprise, it showed up at my doorstep. This book is just outstanding, every second of reading was well worth it and I can't believe I have to wait a year for the next one to come out, not even mentioning that this book isn't quite out yet!
The lore and worldbuilding for this book were some of the most interesting I've read in a long time. This story takes place in a world where people in these lands called the Dominion, have special powers attuned to one thing or another. For example, there are stonesmiths that control/shape stone and goldsmiths who can control and shape gold, but also bonesmiths and those who handle the supernatural. Wren, the main character, is one of three types of bonesmiths, a Valkyr who can use and control some bone materials to protect another type of bonesmith, the Reapyr. The Reapyrs are the people who are tasked with removing a dead person's soul from their body through a special bone, but all types of bonesmiths used to be feared until the Breach happened. Now, after the wall has been put up around The Haunted Lands, these people are revered for their abilities to fight back the dead in the war that took place, but they aren't so loved by everyone on the other side of the wall.
While there was lots of lore introduced at the beginning it was still so easy for me to keep track of the plot and what had happened with the world because of the writing style. The plot quickly starts off with Wren, trying to complete a bonesmith trial to become a full Valkyr but ends up failing because of someone undermining her. She gets sent to the Border Wall to prove herself or serve there for who knows how long, before a prince visits and she realizes her chance may come sooner than she thought when he's captured and taken into The Haunted Lands. She is forced to team up with Julian, an ironsmith who also needs to hunt the prince, and they discover lots of things about the Haunted Lands and the Breach that neither of them knew about.
Did I see some of the plot points or twists coming? Yes, I did. But it didn't make me love this book any less because of the way they were revealed and how interesting it makes what comes next for the characters. There were lots of things I didn't guess though because while there were hints in the story as you go along, there was also lots of room for tons of speculation. The perfect balance between revealing things and letting those revelations sit with the main character and moving on with the action was perfect. Ultimately though, I think the plot was really character-driven because of all the time and attention spent on depicting Wren and Julian, but also the few chapters we got from Leo's perspective. Everything that happened in the plot affected them greatly, changing their views of the world and forcing them to act in different ways that was growth for them, since character-driven plots are my favorite this worked really well for me.
Wren was the perfect heroine for this story, she's witty, determined, and a little overconfident, but also just wants to prove herself to her family who has never seemed to care. The way she carries herself is a bit of armor, not counting the bone armor she already wears, and ultimately she is such a fleshed-out main character it's so easy to root for her. A lot of what she knew about her life gets turned upside down in this book and yet, she stays herself and does what she can to make things right. I really love her and I hope while she grows in the next book, she never changes, because I found her to be so charming and utterly realistic.
Leo is introduced pretty early on in the story but then gets kidnapped though we do get a few chapters from his point of view that help create a better picture of him. He's charismatic and thinks ten steps ahead of everyone else, and yet still just a prince who wants to live his life how he's supposed to. I love how well he gets along with Wren and how they were able to understand each other, and how it's revealed how resourceful Leo truly is toward the end of this book. He's fascinating and I cannot wait to see what other mischief he gets up to.
Julian is the character that I was completely and utterly obsessed with in this book, he's on the lighter side of the 'dark and broody' character everyone thinks of because he has a softer side but also isn't always brooding. He's honestly just stoic, but also really resourceful because it was amazing to see how he used his powers in this book to help Wren and himself get across the Haunted Lands. He gets betrayed by some people closest to him which makes it harder for him to open up to Wren, but when he does it's so obvious he's a beautiful soul. I have a feeling that there's still a lot we don't know about him, but I hope there are more chapters from his point of view in the next book because those two that were in this book were not enough, I just want to be inside his head even more often.
I was promised some form of enemies to lovers and oh did I get that, not to mention how slow burn it ended up being, let me explain. While it was obvious from the beginning that Wren and Julian were slowly going to think of each other less as enemies and more as tentative allies, honestly it didn't feel rushed. They were quickly thrust into a world they didn't know and had to fight very well together to survive, not to mention the plot twists at the end that affected this growth. I cannot wait to see more of their relationship in the second book, and I love their banter so much. The slight slow burn really allowed this to feel more natural than some other books.
As well, I think the friendship between Leo and Wren was really sweet, they both needed someone who understood them and they both do excellent for each other. They're also both really mischievous but good at undermining people, and this fits together well. I'm glad they're going to have a great platonic relationship, as I definitely think there needs to be more of that in books too.
[TW: dead bodies, child birth complications mentioned, death of a loved one mentioned, kidnapping, murder, blood and gore]
August 20, 2024
4.5. This was an absolute blast! This was so fantastically dark, I was not expecting it. I loved the characters, the plot, the magic system… Can’t wait to read the sequel.
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