The Scattered Bones

by Nicole Scarano

“I will love you until I am nothing but dust, and even then, I’ll still love you.”

When a mysterious man known only as The Stranger promises to return Kaid to her, Sellah is tasked with finding each one of her love’s scattered bones, his severed body hidden in the darkest corners of the realm. The quest is an impossible task, yet she must make the dangerous journey alone using only her own faith and fight. But the tasks at hand are brutal. They’re battles not easily won.

But Sellah doesn’t care how treacherous the challenges are. She’ll do whatever it takes because it was her fault Kaid was punished. Promised to the primordial goddess as a child, it was Sellah’s sacred duty to remain pure and untouched. To be chosen as the goddess’ vessel was the highest honor, one Sellah devoted her life to until the handsome thief Kaid broke into the temple. He obliterated her world, rewriting her future, and despite her vows, she couldn’t resist the beautiful longing that ignited between them. Their forbidden friendship bloomed into a doomed romance, sending her and her beloved thief down a dark path of heartbreak, unspeakable danger, and a love that not even death could conquer.

The Scattered Bones is a Dark Fantasy Romance filled with epic quests, forbidden romance, fantasy gods, dangerous landscapes and beasts, and a love that gives the heroine the strength to survive.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Dark Romance, Dark, Audiobook

278 pages, Hardcover

Published August 12, 2023

About the author

Nicole Scarano is an avid fiction reader and film enthusiast; her favorites being dystopian, apocalyptic, fantasy, and action sprinkled with a little romance here and there. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her rescued pitbull, China (who was part of the inspiration for Kerberos in her first novel, Pomegranate). Nicole's passion for writing consumes her free time, especially when it includes snuggling on her sofa with China. Her love of writing is so strong, she even tattooed a quote from one of her stories on her rib-cage.

Reviews

[yuvi • ia · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★.75
(btw. it's better to start this book w/o reading the blurb or reviews cs omg this was so good😭and that way the first chapter will completely blindside you (in a good(?) way). you'll cry ofc)

"Eyes on me, wife."

After the emotional rollercoaster that was alchemised, i COULD NOT read anything, and i do mean anything ELSE. AT ALL. and if yk me, yk that i can not physically function properly if i don't read anything for long. This book got me out of my slump. FOR LIKE, A DAY. i'm still in a TERRIBLE, HORRIFYING, BLOOD SUCKING AND SUFFOCATING reading slump yay.


anywayyy this book was so fast paced and i adored this sm. i read it in 3 hours. it barely has 300 pages. only 300. only a few pages, and yet so many emotions. it broke my heart and mended it at the same time. the yearning and tension? pls omg this book had me in a chokehold.
it's a standalone fantasy (I LOOOOVE standalone fantasy books if done right hehe) and it's so original and has such a unique concept. AND it's told in dual timelines, present and past (and ykkk i ADORE dual timelines). this book is so underhyped why is it so underhyped?!??! it deserves sm more attention and love.
kaid and sellah have my whole heart. goddamn. i love these two with all of my heart. they went through sm oml. but they had each other and the way sellah fought for him? i melted. istfg. no one deserves a HEA more than these two.
no but wdym that that was it?!?!?!? bc i NEEDED moreee. like, more worldbuilding, more tension, more backstory and more depth. and kaid and sellah's reunion left me yearning for more. the ending DIDNOT appease me no ma'am. it left me yearning for more ahhhh. the way i so crave to reread it again is shocking (tho not so much if u really think about it). for a book THIS short, it's truly phenomenal but i feel like 300 more pages wouldn't have hurt lmao.
pls read this book🙏

❀books with similar vibes
⤷a drop of venom
⤷medusa, a love story

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

ִֶָ. 𓂃˖꣹ quotes ꧔⟢ ִֶָ࿐

─ .✦"Worse fates await me if I escape this desert, but I must survive… for him. This is all for him. A thief who’s only sin was stealing my heart and offering his in return."

─ .✦“Tell no one you saw me. Tell no one I gave you my name.”
“Then you’ll tell me?”
“You must promise.”
“I swear on Varas’ altar.” He knelt before me, and a thrill ran up my spine. “I won’t tell a soul of this. Meeting you… I shall treasure it for myself.”

─ .✦“I’ll want you even in death, Sellah. There’s no afterlife, but that doesn’t matter. I’ll love you until I’m dead in the dirt, then I’ll love you until my body is nothing but bones. And when my bones fade to dust coating the earth, I’ll still want you.”

─ .✦I shouldn’t. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.
I did.

─ .✦“I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you. I mean this in the most respectful way, but you are divinely lovely. I’m almost ashamed to share the same air as you.”

─ .✦Out of everyone in my life, you have the power to hurt me the most.

─ .✦“Every night I spend with you, I love you more,” he continued. “I’m filled with broken and jagged edges, but your softness and warmth fit perfectly between those sharp pieces. You make me whole. You’re what my life was missing, and the longer I stay at your side, the more I love you. Varas may be the god I’ve pledged to, but you’re who I want to swear my future to. You’re the altar I pray at, the deity I worship, and I would sacrifice my life for you, but you don’t belong to me. You never have, and you never will. You’ve belonged to Hreinasta since birth, and I can’t watch the person I treasure most in this world lose herself to a selfish goddess.”

─ .✦“I love you, Sellah,” he whispered into my hair. “You own me. All of me. Forever.”

─ .✦“I don’t love you. This isn’t love. Love is too simple a word for what I feel. The world could end. Ages could pass. The gods could die, and I would still adore you. You’ve been braided so deeply into my heart that I no longer exist without you.”

─ .✦When my bones are nothing but dust coating the earth, I’ll still want you.

─ .✦“Until I am dust, wife.”
“Until I am dust.”

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

ִֶָ. 𓂃˖꣹ preread ꧔⟢ ִֶָ࿐

alchemised has lowk put me in a reading slump😭😭😭😕😕😕💔💔💔ntg else compares. i still cant believe that it's over ughhh.
sigh anyway.
ive heard ntg but GREAT things abt this book.
pls make me cry😔🙏 (edit- famous last wordsss aghhhhhh)

── .✦ˋ°•*⁀➷
started- april 20
finished- april 20

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

It's not that this was bad, because it wasn't but I needed more and with just under 300 pages it just didn't offer enough for me. I think a standalone fantasy romance is incredibly hard to pull off, but this was a good stab at it.


╰⪼ 🖤Gods
╰⪼ ☠️Chosen One
╰⪼ 🖤Forbidden Romance
╰⪼ ☠️Trials
╰⪼ 🖤Good Girl (Gag)/Mine
╰⪼ ☠️True Love
╰⪼ 🖤Found Family
╰⪼ ☠️Standalone
╰⪼ 🖤Mild Spice

[itsjessamess · Rating 5 out of 5]

this could’ve been a six part book series and I would’ve read EVERY SINGLE ONEEEEEE

I LOVED the time jumping from present to past..getting to know Kaid and Sellah, how they met and fell in love literally made me fall SO HARD for Kaid😭😭😭 He‘s completely and utterly perfect. The way he ALWAYS AND ALWAYSSSSSS protected and cared for Sellah even tho them seeing each other, knowing each other, let alone TOUCHHHHH is forbidden🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

Their Story is breathtakingly and devastatingly beautiful.
Forbidden Romance, Soulmates..destined to be together,
Dark Romantasy, strong fmc that grows, slow burn and a loootttttt of fighting for LOVEEEEE😭😭😭🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️


"I will love you until I am nothing but dust, and even then, I'll still love you."

[Laura Jane ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

”until i am dust, wife”
“until i am dust”

oh this was so romantic 🥹
sellah and kaid are so precious. the devotion they had for each other was just so beautiful.
for a shorter book (258 pages) their love still felt so loud throughout & i still managed to develop a connection to their story.
the story is told through two different timelines & the past chapters were definitely my favourite, seeing their friendship and vulnerability develop into unwavering love - i wanted to bask in those chapters the whole time. the longinggggg from kaid was delicious. this man was fine as hell in such a short amount of time - sellah really was his goddess to worship. and worship he did, in every sense of the word.
sellah’s love for this man really did conquer all, nothing was stopping her get her love back. i was routing for her the whole time because no one gets in the way of a woman on a mission to fight for what she deserves! she grew from a dismissed and ignored young girl, into a strong and determined woman.

i think if this was a full length book the forbidden romance aspect would have ate, but i enjoyed it for what it was none the less. i also really enjoyed the prose, it complimented the story so well and added to the passion between sellah and kaid. i really adore a beautiful prose in a story! it’s gives me an extra layer of connection.

i don’t know why but i thought this would rip my heart out a tad but sadly it didn’t bring me any sads.
now it did take me a while to read cause i paused it half way to read one of the greatest books to ever exist - then i just couldn’t bring myself to read for a few days lols… so idk if that may have affected my end experience. anyway, i always thought it deserved 4 stars so that’s what im rolling with still 🥰
id definitely recommend this to all my pals!!!!

some quotes 🫶🏼

Yet I could watch him for the rest of my days and never be afraid. He’d become my favorite part of my existence, breathing life into parts of my soul that had died.

You’re the altar I pray at, the deity I worship, and I would sacrifice my life for you, but you don’t belong to me. You never have, and you never will.

“I’ll want you even in death, Sellah. There’s no afterlife, but that doesn’t matter. I’ll love you until I’m dead in the dirt, then I’ll love you until my body is nothing but bones. And when my bones fade to dust coating the earth, I’ll still want you.”

_________
wanted a shorter read to bridge the gap between my wtmh reread & ballad coming out (i have less reading hours atm) anywayyy, my girl imbi just read this and gave it a glowing review so perfect time to get this off my tbr 🫢

[Emily-Rose At The Rose House · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t read for fun, I read so I can be emotionally destroyed ☠️

“I’ll love you until my body is nothing but bones. And when my bones fade to dust coating the earth, I’ll still want you.”

This slow burn forbidden love story will rip your heart to pieces in the best possible way 😭 Add in deadly trials, meddling gods, “I’d burn the world for you” & spice 🌶️

“I miss him so much. More than the sun misses the moon, the lover she shares a sky with but never at the same time.”

“Until I am dust”

Edit* I keep going back to re-read my kindle highlights, I don’t want to leave these characters!

[Youssra (semi ia- shelving books don't mind me) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
The cover did not lie y'all 🙌
I thoroughly enjoyed this, it kept my attention the whole way through and I basically finished it in a day.

This story is told in two timelines, present and past, and I am a sucker for dual timelines. You follow Sellah going on a quest to find the scattered remains of Kaid across the realm in order to bring him back to life and this girl went THROUGH IT. Keep in mind this girl is not a warrior or anything but the way she fought for Kaid man.. it was beautiful 🥲

Now this is a standalone fantasy, and a rather short one, it worked in some places but it actually would have been better if it were longer. It could have benefitted from some more worldbuilding, some more kaid and Sellah moments filled with tension, and some more action sequences during her quest. However, it was still enjoyable and the writing was very beautiful and atmospheric imo.

My favorite parts were the past timelines, they showcased Sellah and Kaid's growing relationship and their love and oml they killed me with their love for each other😭😭
The forbidden love aspect was so good but I wish we got more tension and more slowburn.. like make me work for it Nicole🤣 again this was due to the book being so short for a fantasy.

This is one of those books where you have to trust the process and keep going because all those questions that maybe kept nagging you will eventually get answered right at the end.

[Seri ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️
“I will love you until I am nothing but dust, and even then, I’ll still love you.”

A love that stands the test of DEATH.

Destined to be a vessel inhabited by a primordial goddess, Sellah the FMC has lived a life of luxury but without any human connection. Locked away inside the gilded temple of the pure goddess, no man is allowed to look at her much less touch her. One year shy of fulfilling her destiny to become the vessel, and her soul being put to sleep for decades, a crafty thief (Kaid the MMC), quite literally, steals his way into her bedroom and, later, into her heart. Thus, setting the course for a heart-achingly beautiful and doomed love.

“In the moons light I finally saw him in clear definition, and the sight ruined me. His face obliterated my heart. His eyes destroyed my spirit. And in an instant, the thief rewrote my future.”

The Scattered Bones is told through two different timelines, with each chapter swapping between pre-love and post-love:

Pre-love is when the two lovers first intersect and begin their forbidden romance; the gentle friendship and secret meet-ups in the dead of night gradually bloom into an all-encompassing, passionate love.

Post-love is after the "scattering of the bones," where the grief-stricken Sellah goes on a series of deadly adventures into the most dangerous corners of the realm to find pieces of her love's dismembered limbs with hopes of resurrecting him.

“This is all for him. A thief whose only sin was stealing my heart and offering his in return."

The prose was a REVOLUTION! In a short 300 pages you experience every emotion under the sun, from heart-fluttering joy to extreme grief and the unrelenting determination to right those wrongs! The build-up…the yearning!!!

Back when Sellah and Kaid were just friends, they didn't even touch for more than a third of the book when the chapters were on the pre-love portion. Their eventual love confessions had me in tears and cheering for how beautifully it read, as the cost of getting caught for the thief and his pure priestess love wasn't a simple reprimand; it was a painful and BRUTAL death.

“I was never permitted beyond the temple walls. My knowledge of the realm came from his stories. His tales of rich merchants and their hidden jewels. Of assassins and their weapons. Of lands I couldn’t fathom. He enjoyed telling me as much as I relished hearing them, and now, our roles were reversed. I’m witnessing the wonders and horrors of this world, and he lies locked in a box.” 😭😭

The adventuring was another level of exciting! Every single place that Sellah visited in search of a body part was different and teeming with more danger than the last. The post-love chapters focused on the scarred and vengeful Sellah that was willing to put her life on the line while trying to bring Kaid back. My heart rate was through the roof as I roared my support for the determined Sellah everytime she was in another near-death situation! Scarano (the author) did an excellent job flip-flopping between love and whole-bodied devotion in the lover chapters to the anger, grief, and intense obstacles faced in the questing chapters!

It’s been a while since I’ve finished a standalone, and I deeply wished that this were the first in a 5-book series! What a beautifully written novel. Five incredible and well-deserved stars! I recommend this book with my entire soul! 🖤

[bookluvr · Rating 4 out of 5]

”until i am dust, wife.”
“until i am dust.”

this is peak devotion right here, especially when you understand what the title means. PEAK! i kinda loved this 🥺. i do wish it was longer and more fleshed out, but i’m impressed and pleasantly surprised by what this delivered with the little real estate that it used, what with it being a standalone romantasy just shy of 300 pages and all. it managed to make me root for the central characters, believe in the romance and feel the severity of the stakes. while technically classified as a book, i’m choosing to see this as a really well-executed extended novella and my rating reflects that, so 🤷🏾‍♀️. no one can check me on that 🤭.

something about this felt unique. that’s not to say that some of the tropes and storytelling devices in here have never been used in romantasies past (we got some good ol’ trials, something of a benevolent shadow daddy, gods, a benefactor with an obscure identity, etcetera etcetera), but the mix here still managed to feel fresh and enjoyable. the spin on the trials element also delivered something different when you understand what sellah is in pursuit of as the plot moves along 🤧. the world specifics were communicated well and were detailed enough for the pages over which the story was told, without being too basic. i was genuinely invested in the story and engaged by this little treasure of a book.

sellah was a great fmc. resilient, strong, empathy-inducing. she was innocent at first, but not completely naive and obtuse, which i really liked. get behind me sis, i need to protect you 😭. and kaid??? gimme gimme. delicious man. ”eyes on me, wife.” ??? oh, my lids would be cellotaped to my fo-head, sir. you don’t gotta tell me twice. i loved his yearn for her, urgh. their romance, while i wish was told over more pages for max tension and a slower burn, still managed to pack a punch and feel intimate. i really enjoyed that they became curious friends first, before their relationship evolved into more. i don’t even blame sellah for folding like a lawn chair IMMEDIATELY for this man. aura was tea.

i really enjoyed the character of the stranger too. while his identity was not completely unpredictable, i loved the companionship he lent to sellah on her quest. their banter and bond was so endearing 🥹.

the writing was lovely. poetic and achy in parts, but also really easy to read and get immersed in. yes, there could have been a lot more instances of showing instead of telling given the length, but again, while noticeable, it didn’t deter me from enjoying this read or getting enough of an experience from some key elements here. i’d be remiss not to give a fair warning though, in case you’re looking for a longer, more epic tale. this is literally 260(ish) pages. maybe one area that i wish had more meat on the bone most, was the ending. the climax and resolution would have been more impactful if it had a little bit more to it. it was all wrapped up too quickly.

“i’ll want you even in death, sellah. there’s no afterlife, but that doesn’t matter. i’ll love you until i’m dead in the dirt, then i’ll love you until my body is nothing but bones. and when my bones fade to dust coating the earth, i’ll still want you.” 🤧. peak simping — and i, too, will never beat the simp-for-kaid allegations either. i’m more than ok with that.

thank you youssra for recommending me a quick and tasty lil weekend read, bestie 😘🧸

[Momma Eureka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg what a good little book !!!!!
It’s rare when I complain a book is too short, but this one I wish was longer. I wanted MORE of Kaid and Sellah. I wanted more of “the stranger”, I wanted more details of all her trials, omg her pain, her EXTREME LOVE, her courage. This book deserved more pages and that’s the only reason it’s not a 5⭐️
I cried when we actually see what Kaid had suffered and she had watched, it was heartbreaking 💔
They got their hea but wow took forever. Loved it ! Great story.

[lena 🐰 [ semi ia - school ] · Rating 2 out of 5]

➳ two stars ⟢

um…okay 🧍🏼‍♀️was i supposed to care? was i supposed to feel any sort of emotional attachment to these characters? WHAT AM I MISSING 😭

i mean, first of all - why was this book only 250 pages? i’m usually a stan, an ambassador, a cult leader of short books but this felt like a trailer instead of the actual movie. this book being split into two parts had the possibility to be absolutely LIFE CHANGING but it instead felt like the same scene being repeated over and over again.

to understand my thoughts more clearly : here was my reading journey (ft. my notes app)

- is the stranger her love interest ?????
- omg the cult vibes are so good
- i’m crying 😭😭 ain’t no way he just climbed up the window even though she has high security everywhere 🤨
- his haircut is fucking DIABOLICAL 💀
- i can’t believe i’m saying this but this is way too fast paced
- okay consent king!!!!! 🤴
- why are the sex scenes so well written
- why do i feel like i’ve already read this scene b4
- WTF!!!
- EW NO.
- ain’t no way i just read that.
- this is why horror isnt for me
- YUCK.
- this is not 16+
- i’m only enjoying the “after” chapters ngl
- why is the stranger so daddy
- OH SHES COOKED
- i’m crying how did she pull that off 🤣
- OKAY PLOT TWIST????
- that epilogue pissed me off

so….that’s that! whilst i did enjoy the premise of this book (and the fact that i read it in a day) - i liked the idea of it more than the actual novel. the highlight of the whole book was the stranger and i’m not gonna lie…. i was rooting for him to be the love interest 🥸

overall, this book had the possibility to be life changing…but unfortunately it wasn’t in the slightest 🌞

onto better books!!! 🏃‍♀️

[dak ⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆˙⟡♡𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒃 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅♡⟡˙⋆ ★★★★★

🗡️ 🩵 🦴 ✨

i loveeeed this🫶🏻
it broke my heart and healed it at the same time🩵
the plot and dual timelines, the world and yearning? all sooo good!!
sellah and kaid’s love story is beautiful🥺💘
“𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦.”
“𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵.”

i wish i had more time in this world with these characters. the book was perfect but i would of ate anymore time up with them🥰

“𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙙. 𝘼𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fear infinity stars are not enough for this book. Sometimes a book touches and moves me in a way I can’t fully explain, and this is one of those books. The premise is super tragic, but it also shows just how deep the love between these two people runs, I literally felt it pouring off the pages. This book is the true definition of yearning. It might honestly be one of my all-time favorite love stories… and it was done in under 300 pages. I am fucking shocked.

Love story aside, the plot itself is so unique that I genuinely don’t think there’s anything else like it. You have a woman who is completely heartbroken, yet so determined to put the man she loves back together ( literally piece by piece) and no one is going to fucking stop her. She overcomes so many obstacles, and her devotion to this man is unreal. Coming from someone who was touch-starved, neglected, and abandoned by her family, she pours every ounce of love she has into him. The story is so devastating, but it is so beautiful at the same time.

Each bone comes with an obstacle, something challenging and seemingly impossible that she has to overcome. That journey doesn’t just make for an incredible story, it truly showcases her character growth.

I loved the gods and the world. It was endlessly entertaining, and the way the plot was laid out between past and present kept me completely engaged. I’m telling you right now, there is not one dull moment in this story.

I’m not sure if it was the story itself or the way the author wrote it, but this felt like the most romantic thing I’ve ever read. It was heartbreakingly beautiful. Going into the story, you already know what happens to him, it becomes a battle to get back to happiness. This book is about hope, love, and refusing to give up. These two were literally soulmates.

This will be a book I recommend with my full fucking chest for the rest of my life. This was an infinity-star read for me. It genuinely changed something in me, and I will never be the same. I am literally crying as I type this. 😭😭

My Shaylasssss 😭🥹 I have never wanted two people to get their happily ever after this badly.

If you see this review, please pretend it’s me on my hands and knees, begging you to read this book.

[Mora ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wrote a whole ass review and it didn't save and now I'm too pissed off to rewrite it lmao.

4.5/5

[brittany:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

∞ ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I don’t love you.”…..“Because love isn’t enough for what I feel. It is too much. It’s everything.” 🖤

This book was EVERYTHING 😭✨ favorite read of the year so far and honestly… this will be HARD to top for me.

It was lyrical 🌙 dark 🕯️ gothic 🦇 and the literal definition of YEARNING. Like capital Y E A R N I N G. The slow burn??? Immaculate. Agonizing. Perfect. 🔥 The kind that makes you clutch your chest and shed a tear.

I loved their love so much 🖤 the devotion, the restraint, the way it built piece by piece. I loved her journey, her strength, her growth 🌑🌹 and I loved his fight just as much. They both bled for what they wanted and you feel it in every chapter.

This gave me all the feels 😩✨ heartbreak, longing, hope, darkness, beauty… all of it wrapped in something haunting and unforgettable. I genuinely don’t even know what else to say except this is a STAPLE for me now.

Forever on my shelf. Forever in my heart. 🖤📖

[ya.vl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Мені дуже сподобалось, але на 5 шось не тягне🥲
Хоча тут дуже хороший сюжет, такий насичений, цікавий. Але чогось таки невистачило.
Головні герої просто ваау, які вони сміливі, так боролись за своє кохання 🥹 я трохи просльозилась на моменті коли їх спіймали 😭
Селла дуже сильна, стільки всього пройшла, вона величезна молодець!
Ще мені страшенно сподобалось як пише авторка, такі гарні слова підбирала😍 читати було одне задоволення. Трохи наплуталась з тими богами але це нічого.
І залишу вам цитати👇🏿
•«Я хотіла обійняти його, бо кожен дюйм його тіла шепотів про біль, який він витерпів. Я прагнула втішити його і вкрасти його страждання.»
• «Кохання — занадто просте слово для того, що я відчуваю. Світ може скінчитися. Епохи можуть минути. Боги можуть померти, але я все одно буду тебе обожнювати. Ти вплетена в моє серце так глибоко, що я більше не існую без тебе.»

[LKCREADS · Rating 5 out of 5]

You and me? We’ve been searching high and low for a book so romantic and devastating it literally rips us to pieces.

And I just found it.

Two things I’m going to throw at you for immediate convincing right off the bat? It’s 274 pages. And it’s a standalone. You’re welcome.

Dark fantasy romance is my new favorite genre. I think it’s been heading that way for a while now. This solidified it.

HER HUSBAND’S BONES ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE REALM AND SHE HAS TO FIND ALL OF HIS PIECES. AND ONCE SHE DOES HE MAY RETURN TO HER… MAY… BUT IT’S NOT A GUARANTEE.

Are you kidding me?!?!?!

“His scattered bones were supposed to be left untouched, unfound, unwanted, but I disobeyed the gods.”

GOOSEBUMPS.

Do you think that finding out how this happened is going to destroy you? Do you think going through the memories of what lead up to this devastation is going to turn you into a shell of yourself?

Yes.

My boyfriend had to check on me multiple times because of how hard I was crying.

Nothing is scarier than losing the love of your life. No amount of pain or suffering compares to the loss. So she’ll do anything. Fight anyone. Be put in any amount of danger just to hear his voice again.

“I’ll love you until I’m dead in the dirt, then I’ll love you until my body is nothing but bones. And when my bones fade to dust coating the earth, I’ll still want you.”

This book has loss so enormous you will feel a gaping whole in your chest.

You will fall in love with this sweet man who cries openly, loves openly, cherishes what is his. Loves her for her friendship first over anything.

You will fall in love with this brave woman who changes the course of her life with sheer force of will. She is a force to be reckoned with.

His nickname for her is goddess. I weep.

When I finished this book I literally was confused how so much can happen in such a small story. The writing took my entire being to a new fantastical realm and I can’t believe how lost in the pages I was.

I think great writing can convey an incredible story no matter the length and the author has done that here.

I have never highlighted pages of a book more than this one.

The romance in this book is astonishing. The spice in this book is flawless. It’s perfect. It’s tender. Then... not so tender. It’s everything you could want.

“The kiss was holy. It was destruction, and I burned in its desire.”

I admire this desperate girl fueled by love and anger and hate. i can’t begin to explain how inspiring her spirit and resolve is.

“I’m no longer the girl the gods declared an outcast and a heretic. She was soft and smooth, her hair long, her health vibrant. This Sellah is all muscle and bone, scars and ragged hair. I look nothing like the woman I used to be. She died the day he died. Sellah ceased to exist the moment his heart stopped beating, and now I simply endure. A wanderer. A godless traveler on the path of vengeance.”

I’m speechless.

I can’t believe so close to the end of the year… I’ve just read one of my favorite stories of all time.

[Sam | Haus of Fables · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely took me by surprise! It’s a new adult fantasy romance stand alone that breaks the mold. (Even though the characters are early 20s it still felt more adult than YA)
The writing is easy to follow while also having some really beautiful moments as well.

It is set over two time lines, the now—where we see the FMC on a quest to find the bones of her murdered love! (I KNOW 😭)—and the past where we see them fall in love.
The way the two entwine rips on your heart strings because you know what is coming! (Don’t worry it’s a romance so it’s a HEA, so it puts your heart back together again!) this is also not a spoiler, it’s literally the premise of the book & you find out in the first chapter.

One of my favourite parts was the strength & tenacity of the FMC as she goes through the trials to find each bone. They were extremely imaginative, nothing felt like it had been done before.
There are meddling gods, a found father figure along with the slow burn (with a little spice)
But overall this is an epic love story that had me gripped from the first page to the last!
For a book under 300 pages it packs a punch!

I would say make sure you read at least the first 3/4 chapters because you need to get a feel for the dual timelines to understand the world. But once you do there is no going back! One of my absolute favourite books of the year without a doubt!

[Brend · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never came even close to caring about anyone or anything going on here.

[Kateryna Vasylivna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Така щира та віддана любооов ♥️. Спочатку він був для неї тим, хто відкривав зовнішній світ і заповнював порожнечу, з якою вона жила все життя, потім вона використала ту силу та знання, які він їй дав, щоб повернути його в їхній щасливий кінець початок 🥹.

Нас закидають в події на середині і поступово розкривають подробиці, тому якщо ви не любите читати анотації, майте на увазі, що можете не понять в яку сторону тєрємки. Єдине, я б таки оминала список богів на початку і хто за що відповідає, бо там є добрячий спойлер, який трохи псує враження до однієї з основних таємниць. Автор і так гарно розкриває основних богів і їх парафії.

Книга здається значно більшою за розміром, ніж є насправді, дуже насичена подіями, взагалі без перепочинку все несеться. І особисто мені трохи важкий стиль написання авторки, такі гіперболізовані описи всього, важко було звикнути.

Я б хотіла почитати про зарубу богів, яка мала відбутись після 😈.

[Drop of Jupiter ⊙°˚*✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infinity stars read. Truly. ♾️🌟

This book didn’t just stay in my head… it settled somewhere much deeper. The kind of story that lingers, that hums quietly in your chest long after you’ve turned the last page. It’s written in my soul. I felt it in my bones. I loved every minute of it.

And then there’s Kaid…
I mean… what exactly are we supposed to do with a man like that?

Sellah asks him:

“Do you love me?”

And his answer:

“You are my goddess.” His low admission rumbled through his ribs, vibrating against my skin. “You are what I pray to, what I worship, what I adore.”

“There’s nothing on this earth or in the heavens as perfect as you. Your beauty is unmatched, and it’s mine.”

You read lines like these, where he doesn’t just love her… he reveres her. Worships her. Speaks to her like she’s something sacred, untouchable, inevitable… and suddenly real life feels a little underwhelming. 😅

How are we meant to just close the book and go back to normal?
How are real men supposed to compete with that level of devotion?

It’s unfair, really.

But beyond that… there’s something powerful here. About love, yes, but also about a woman fully stepping into herself. Into her power. Into something almost mythic. And when love meets that kind of force… it becomes unstoppable.

“Everything from his scarred lips to his hardened muscles to his gold-flecked eyes sang of danger, wove tales of darkness. Yet I could watch him for the rest of my days and never be afraid. He’d become my favorite part of my existence, breathing life into parts of my soul that had died.”

Beautifully written, deeply felt, and impossible to forget.

Go read it… and thank me later. 🙂

[Liz (lizzreadz) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

You know those books that shatter your heart into a million pieces and then put you back together again? Yeah, that’s this book🥲🥲🥲 and I LOVED IT.

The Scattered Bones is a standalone romantasy following our FMC Sellah, a desperate woman who embarks on an epic quest that defies the gods. Driven by love and fueled by revenge against the gods who wronged her, Sellah sets out on a seemingly impossible mission to find and collect her husband’s scattered remains. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Sellah weathers the most brutal parts of the realm and walks into the most terrifying traps designed by the gods themselves to thwart her, yet still she persists, all for the chance to see her husband whole again. In a world full of meddling gods, Sellah finds some unexpected yet powerful allies, as she completes each ordeal with the fervor of a vengeful widow who will literally go to the ends of the earth for the man she loves.

If you love beautiful, tragic love stories of forbidden romance, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. This was under 300 pages yet still packed with action, perfectly paced, and beautifully executed with the plot lines switching back and forth. Just be warned, this one is going to HURT but it’s so worth it😭

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just go ahead and get out your pitchforks now, because I know this book has been getting a lot of love, but love is not what I will be giving in this review 😅

Short review: Poppy Balfour, the maiden… oops I mean sellah the chosen (they’re literally the same) is a virgin set aside for a goddess to posses. Unfortunately she falls in love and her mans gets cut up into pieces and has his bones scattered across the realm. She goes on a Zelda kinda quest that feels more like a really vague, really bad mushroom trip, with a hot stranger with white eyes and mind power (but he’s totally JUST a stranger and not a powerful entity or god or anything) to gather her lovers bones in order Frankenstein that bitch back to life.


I’ll start with what I liked:
-the premise: Gathering your lovers bones and going to the edge of the world for them? That shit is freaking romantic. Sign me up. Love this if literally anyone else wrote it.
-the dismemberment scene: I’ll always hand it to an author that goes there, this was brutal. I liked it.
-friends to lovers: I’m telling you, friends to lovers is where it’s at, an underrated trope.

What I disliked:
-told not shown: you know how there’s scenes where authors will tell you and not show you? You know how frustrating that is? Okay now imagine that the ENTIRE book you are told everything and literally almost never shown. Not scenes here and there, but the ENTIRE book is in a flashback telling format. First person past tense for half the book and the other half first person present tense but she’s on her weird vague quests so not much better.
-the repetition: you think JL Armentrout is repetitive? We’ve got a new champ. Is saying “my child” 52 times from a side character too many? Asking for a friend. I’m convinced if the author didn’t repeat multiple times each chapter that: She was chosen since birth, shes the vessel, She’s never seen another man, Her parents didn’t show any affection (specifically her mother ) that this book would be 100 pages long.
-Over explanations: when it comes to foreshadowing/dropping hints some authors give you a crumb and then drop
Kick you off a cliff to figure it out yourself. Some authors hold your hand and guide you on the path. This author? This is a helicopter author that will force feed you the obvious so thick and so frequent that you won’t even be able to roll your eyes because she’s still hammering home the points she wants to make.
-the romance: the premise of this book was romantic but the actual execution wasn’t. I could not believe their love because I wasn’t shown anything, just told. This is the first man this bish literally has ever seen (except her brothers and dad, but don’t worry you’ll only be explained that like 30 times) and we are told she just told she starts to feel things, strong things, but like this dude doesn’t DO anything. He’s just there. He’s just Ken.
-the dialogue: this was just cringe to me… and I can’t put my finger on it, except for it kind of reminded me of how I made my Barbies talk to each other when I was a kid. You know that weird pretend pretentious dialogue when you’re trying to be more grown up than you are? Like that. Like she was trying to write simplistically but profound like in The Alchemist, but it did not work.
-behind the scenes: so much of what is foundational and important for this plot are things that clearly happen off page and then are just explained in one or two sentence. Fake example: “oh while you were asleep an army fought on your behalf, we won you can relax now”.
-the plot: it doesn’t follow its own rules. She’s not allowed to have outside help (it will be repeated 100 times)on her quests. She has quite a lot of outside help 🫠

In all, not my favorite, wouldn’t even say I liked it. I finished this one through stubborn determination and aggressive skimming.

On to the next book while the season is still spooky: Song of The Darkwood

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I wish some parts were more fleshed out and other parts shortened, but overall I enjoyed it.

[Bailee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

When Sellah’s husband is ripped from her (literally, he’s separated limb from limb), she vows to find all of his scattered bones, and bring them together so that the mysterious Stranger who vowed to help her get her love back can do just that. Jumping from past to present we get to see the story of how Kaid and Sellah fell in love with each other, and also how far she is willing to go to get that love back.

I really loved the storyline. The determination and love aspect of it was beautiful. There were times where I couldn’t put this book down. It was a slow start, but once I really got into it I was absolutely invested. I just felt like there was something missing. Probably a me problem.

All in all, I enjoyed this one!

[Karly · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5/5) Forehead kisses to the readers who recommended this dark fantasy romance standalone to me 💋

🖤 Dark fantasy romance
🖤 1st person, single POV
🖤 Forbidden romance
🖤 Dual timeline
🖤 Quest

Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5 (slow burn)

I don't even know how long The Scattered Bones has been sitting on my Kindle, and I REGRET putting it off. The Scattered Bones is both tragic and achingly romantic.

I flew through this book in 2 sittings and didn't want it to end. The insane chemistry? Yearning?? DEVOTION??? *squeals*

I immersive read this book (primarily the audiobook since I used it to get through a 10 hour car ride), and I loved the reading experience. I didn't 100% love the male VO since this is single narration, but that's a totally subjective note.

This is overall a beautiful story and thoughtfully touches on difficult topics like blind faith and cult mentality. At times, I was concerned that our MMC was preying on our FMC the way everyone else has done her entire life and taking advantage of her naivety, BUT that wasn't the case and I love him wholeheartedly for her. I especially loved the juxtaposition that happens with the dual timeline—he saves her —> she saves him.

Biggest reasoning for not giving this the full 5 stars comes down to feeling there were some loose ends in relation to the other gods in this world. It almost feels like the author intentionally left it open ended so she could continue adding on books (if she chooses), but I was hoping for a bit more clarity.

Nonetheless, I absolutely recommend this book and loved it!

[Gabi Koz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this was absolutely phenomenal and I loved every single second. 5 massive stars !!!!!! I’m shook right now & need to process 🤯

The is a 258 page masterpiece which an epic realm shattering love story that rivals the romance in many full romantasy series. I’m absolutely in AWE !!!

This is dark, brutal, haunting, and heartbreaking while also being so beautiful and moving. I already know I will reread this again & again.

_________________________

“Until I am dust, wife” 😭😭😭💗

“I don’t love you,” he growled as he angled his hips to hit the spot that unleashed the stars. “This isn’t love. Love is too simple a word for what I feel. The world could end. Ages could pass. The gods could die, and I would still adore you. You’ve been braided so deeply into my heart that I no longer exist without you.”

[makayla 𖧧.⋆☼ (catching up) · Rating 5 out of 5]

November Book Club Read: The Scattered Bones 📖♣️
𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝙿𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝓀 𝒮𝑜𝓃𝑔 – 𝐻𝑜𝓏𝒾𝑒𝓇 ♥︎
𝟢:𝟤𝟨 ———♡——— 𝟥:𝟤𝟦

This book wrecked me in the best way, I’m unwell 🥲

The love and connection between Kaid and Sellah was so heartfelt. Kaid really knows how to make a woman feel seen and cherished😭

🤍🔹🦴 “We aren’t two people, but two halves of the same soul.“
🤍🔹🦴 “Don’t be afraid. Nothing they do can erase my love for you.”

Sellah is so incredibly strong to push through everything she’s had to endure. Kaid was not wrong when he said she is a goddess 🙂‍↕️👑✨
— I would love to throw hands with her family tho, esp her mom 🙂🫵🏼

🤍🔹🦴“I will love you until I am nothing but dust, and even then, I’ll still love you.”


✨ This standalone romantasy gave me everything — but I would’ve read ten more books in this world. No notes, just longing 🫶🏼🥀🤍🔹🦴

[ReneeReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot believe this book was published last year and has less than 300 ratings. This book is amazing! This is a wonderfully told love story with a fantasy background and I am so happy I took a chance on it. I will definitely be recommending this one to anyone that will listen. Kaid and Sellah are tragically in love and I was captivated by this story. I also really loved "The Stranger's" character. At first I saw this book going in a different direction but I am so pleased with the way it turned out. Please do yourself a favor and read it.

[Elise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank goodness that's done. The best part was that it was only 260 pages, and yet even that was too long.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

march 27, 2026
still really sweet and cute, i struggled a little with the current timeline but i really enjoyed the romance.







September 17, 2024
i kept seeing this book all over tiktok and i just had to read it.


Wow! One of the few times Tiktok hasn't scammed me. This book was beautiful and heart breaking and devastating and filled with strength and hope. It was so good, the writing, the chemistry between the main characters.


Sellah is trying to find the remains of her husband that are scattered across the world, never for her to find. She goes through trials and tribulations, facing death again and again to put her love back together with the help of The Stranger.


Kaid is one of the most romantic heros i have read and i think he will be raising the bar for those to come after!


The story is told in 2 timelines, one in the past telling their love story, and one in the present where she is looking for his remains. The love they shared is really something special and I highly recommend people read it.


She finds kindred spirits along the way that help her on her journey and in the end she repays those kindnesses. Loved loved loved!



Safety&info:
Singilar 1st person POV
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥 not overly smutty, more romantic but there's 3 fully described scenes.
Romance meter: 💚🧡💚🧡💚/5
Magic meter: ✨️✨️✨️✨️/5


◇Ow drama: no
◇Om drama: no
◇No cheating/sharing/love triangle
◇h virgin, H not specified and not a manwhore.
◇Pull out once after that no protection
◇Seperation: past timeline the H leaves for days to weeks on end on missions for his god. Present timeline he is dead for a year and a half while she searches for him.
◇No 3rd act breakup
◇Ages: h20-21, H not specified but i'd say 23-26ish said to be a few years older than her.
◇HEA: H is resurrected, 8 ish years in the future they get married a second time in a temple and buy a farm and have 2 daughters.