Sinew and Bone

by Gitte Tamar

Immerse yourself in the intricate tapestry of 17th-century London, a city teeming with sinister secrets and an insatiable desire for eternal youth.

This gripping psychological horror invites readers on a thrilling journey into the secretive world of high society. “Sinew and Bone” guarantees an enthralling adventure, brimming with grisly themes of cannibalism, betrayal, and madness that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

On the eve of her twentieth birthday, Genevieve is taken aback by a shocking her parents have arranged a marriage for her. However, there’s a twist - they insist she pretends to be three years younger, fearing that she may not attract the most affluent suitors now that she’s past her teens. Initially hesitant to resort to deception for her future, Genevieve becomes enchanted by the charisma and charm of Hugh McKinley, her soon-to-be husband, and agrees to her parents’ demand to maintain his interest.

As she steps through the doors of the McKinley Estate for the first time, the young headmistress is filled with excitement, marveling at the breathtaking beauty of her new surroundings. However, as Genevieve settles into her new life, she notices disturbing occurrences within the mansion’s chilly corridors. As she delves deeper into her quest for the truth, the once majestic manor swiftly transforms into a realm of terror, where unimaginable horrors beyond her darkest nightmares are brought to light.

Genres: Gothic, Horror

ebook

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

Brigitte, "Gitte," Tamar was born in a small rural Oregon town. Growing up, she was enthralled by scary tales featuring poetic tones and consistently gravitated towards writing darkened narratives. In the different storylines, Brigitte explores the harsh realities of social issues faced by today's generations. This includes the dark outcomes brought on by peer pressure, addiction, homelessness, mental illness, childhood trauma, and abuse. She feels it is essential to share narratives that refrain from sugarcoating the topics society tends to shy away from.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC for review. Published October 1, 2024.

A great big “not for me” on this one. DNF.

Set in the 1600s Genevieve Ellsworth”s mother tells her to pretend to be seventeen (she’s twenty) in order to make the best possible marriage match. The person I was dating at seventeen might have ended up in prison, I don’t know.

But I digress. Her parents marry her off to the first man who asks, the wealthy Hugh McKinley. After about ten minutes he accepts her as his bride and tells her they are leaving immediately for his far away home; she is allowed to take nothing with her, though she slips in her ladies’ maid at the last minute (and more’s the pity for her.)

He’s cruel before they even wave farewell to mater and pater and it just gets worse and worse once they reach his home. Then they meet his awful family and it gets worser. Then there’s a mummy.

DNF at 31% when her brother in law tells her the family were so drunk that night they will all just FORGET THE FLESH EATING MUMMY.

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Abruptly, a creature's commanding voice rings out above the rest. "You have consumed your fill, and now it's time for you to go. We are here to welcome you to your eternal hellish home. Forever hungry and in torment, you will join the others to atone for what you can never again possess...sinew and bone."

"The moment you took that first bite, a dark cloud descended upon us, suffocating us with a fate worse than death. Your thirst for youth has drug this family to hell."

⚠️⚠️ triggers and spoilers ⚠️⚠️
Violence, gore, death, cannibalism
-topics about Mummia : a substance derived from the powdered remains of mummies. Some believe it to possess therapeutic properties. Many people ingest it for its health benefits and others believe it is the fountain of youth. 🤮🤢

💭Fans of Sweeny Todd, Hannibal, Crimson Peak, Usher's Passing and Ready or Not (just a few on top of my head) will most probably enjoy this one.
This kept me on the edge of my seat! My mind, like the MC, kept racing with questions and a creeping sense of dread and unease. The reveal in the end about who Hugh really was shocked me. I can't read/turn the pages fast enough to find out how Genevieve is going to escape the mayhem and madness. I liked it way more than I expected and was highly entertained.

Happy Publication day! (Oct 1, 2024)
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookbuzz.net for the arc 🖤

5✨

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic Halloween read! Filled with gore,murder and mayhem. I really enjoy this Authors work and I particularly enjoyed the warped elements with the added info regarding practices that have actually happened! I will not tell as it will give away too much of the story! The characters were wacky and there story was engaging and entertaining until the very end. Creepy and thrilling☠️.

Great fun!

Thanks go to the Author and Publisher through Booksirens for the ARC. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

[Haly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinew and Bone caught my attention from the very first sentence. Sinew and Bone is a dark atmospheric tale.The epilog is unlike most in that it immediately tells you what the book is about. Cannibalism. And, as the scenes of cannibalism unfold you will have a visceral response.

I received a free copy of Sinew and Bone, and I am offering my thoughts about this novel. I will not offer a synopsis of the novel itself.

As stated above, this novel grabbed me immediately and I could not put it down. I read late into the night and until I was seeing double!

From the beginning Sinew and Bone is eerie and strange. The behavior of every character made me think, "how weird!" As you continue to read the strangeness of the characters and the manor seem almost normal, that is due to how well Gitte Tamar slowly reels you into the story.

There were a few scenes in the novel that I thought were a bit gratuitous, such as the episodes involving the mummies were nothing happened. I thought that the mummies should have done something to avenge themselves from the acts of mummia.

[Reading Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genevieve is about to enter into an arranged marriage with Hugh McKinley,the brother to her brother's wife. Hugh is a wealthy man. They get married on the same day they meet in front of Hugh's dead father. Genevieve then meets the whole family for dinner and she notices not all is what it seems. The McKinley's like to indulge in a strange black powder in their drinks. This powder is made out of mummies. Mummies are supposed to cure all ailments and help a person to retain their youth.
This book is full of mysteries, ghosts, cannibalism and more!!!!

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read a few of Gitte Tamar's books and really enjoyed the majority of them. This one however, was a bit of a disappointment if I'm completely honest.

There were definitely a lot of things like gore, cannibalism, ghosts, bloodshed etc - all things that would make a gruesome spooky read. All these things were done very well.

The plot itself was decent, but I just could not stand our MC. Nothing she did made sense, and I could never tell whether she was truly spooked out by what was happening, or if she wanted to join in the chaos. Also this book was written in first person, and yet some descriptions/emotions were told about different characters almost like it was written from a third person perspective. It was all very confusing, and made it hard for me to immerse myself in the story.

Overall, I really wanted to like this one and I'm disappointed that I didn't. Would still read from Gitte Tamar as I have liked her other books, though.

Thanks for Book Sirens and the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Horror Nerd · Rating 1 out of 5]

This young adult horror novel started off as a promising gothic-tinged story about a young girl forced into a loveless marriage, & having to live in a remote & creepy mansion with sinister family members.
This is all supposed to take place in the 1600s, yet the dialogue and character interactions feel way too modern.
The main girl (she's far from being a heroine & is completely unlikeable) is so naive in her reactions to the horrors around her. Things keep happening to her, and she seems to barely react other than gasp & be shocked (to things like talking mummies, ghostly visitations, domestic abuse, etc). When the ending finally comes, she barely participates in it & is more like an observer.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[Kelsey Vargo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

Murder, mayhem, and mummies oh my!!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and vanity a curse. In this frighting tale we follow a young woman thrust into the upper echelons of high society and a secret cabals of cannibals intent on remaining young and beautiful. A unique twist on the pink horror trend—offering scathing critique of beauty standards—but make it gothic!

Genevieve discovers just how dark and twisted the homes of London's elite can be once she marries into the McKinley family. Her husband Hugh is cruel and quick to anger, while her in-laws are determined to gaslight her into thinking all is well in their house of horrors.

Feeling like an outsider within her own home, she struggles to exist in a frightening place full of secrets and a forcibly silent staff. The McKinley Manor is nothing like her own parents' home, nothing at all. But seeing as this is the 17th c and she wasn't allowed to leave her childhood home, she has no friends or way out.

No one knows where she is. No one will miss her. Her parents wiped their hands of her on the day of her wedding, deeming their duty done.

Genevieve is a passive narrator; treated like a possession, she watches the horrors in awe without attempting to stop them or escape. She wants to survive, but doesn't really know how to do that beyond going through the motions of her daily life. Don't expect a plucky heroine here, you won't find one.

This novel contains all manner of monsterous violence and depravity, but it isn't subtle. Gore, mutilation, and the revelry of bloodshed are proudly displayed on page. This is a modern take on the classic penny dreadful, go into this excepting madness and blood then double it!!

TW: cannibalism, gaslighting, racism, spousal abuse

[Ingrid Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the eve of her twentieth birthday, Genevieve is taken aback by a shocking revelation: her parents have arranged a marriage for her. However, there’s a twist - they insist she pretends to be three years younger, fearing that she may not attract the most affluent suitors now that she’s past her teens.

This simple request shows where the desire to remain young looking and beautiful makes Genevieve ignore things that any sane person would question.

Genevieve is fooled by the charisma and charm of Hugh McKinley, her soon-to-be husband, and agrees to the arrangement.

There are enough red flags on the ride to the McKinley estate, starting with the immediate and abrupt need to marry before the day is over, but the girl ignores them all over the desire to be the head of an influential household.

It doesn't take long for her to finally see things may be not as they seem, though it takes longer than my patience could almost handle. The start of the book is slow, as the characters are built.

There are some very gruesome moments in this novel, which I of course approve of, but there are also some large inconsistencies that made me roll my eyes.

I enjoyed the writer's style, it reminded me of Poe in the dark gothic feel it caused. Being rooted in a practice that was common among the rich in Victorian times added to the interesting entertainment factor.

Not sure if this is a young adult horror novel, but it read that way to me.
Still, I found it amusing and a nicely haunting.

Thanks to @netgalley and Btw llc publishing house for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Luc Dantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

Gitte Tamar’s "Sinew and Bone" transports readers to the hauntingly beautiful landscape of 17th-century London, where the themes of desire, deception, and darkness intertwine in a masterfully woven tale. The novel adeptly encapsulates the thrilling essence of historical fiction and gothic horror, drawing comparisons to the works of literary giants like Oscar Wilde and Mary Shelley.

At the heart of the narrative is Genevieve, a young woman faced with an arranged marriage that forces her to navigate the treacherous waters of high society while grappling with her own identity. The author’s portrayal of the McKinley Estate allows readers to glimpse both its splendor and its sinister undercurrents. As Genevieve uncovers the mansion's chilling secrets, the pace quickens, and the tension intensifies, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.

While I appreciated the richly detailed setting and the psychological depth that Tamar brings to her characters, I found some of the lengthy descriptions at times detracted from the overall pacing. Historical details can be immersive, but they frequently caused my interest to wane, pulling me away from the gripping plot.

Despite this, "Sinew and Bone" is undeniably compelling and crafted with remarkable skill. I truly believe it has the potential to be recognized as a classic in the genre. For anyone who loves gothic themes wrapped in a historical context, this book is a must-read. Prepare for a journey filled with haunting beauty and irredeemable darkness.

[Bernadett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have received my copy from Booksirens for review
The book starts out with our protagonist telling us she is most likely dead when we read this. She also tells us readers, about cannibalism she has witnessed.
an absolute banger of a start for a book, a topic I am deeply intrigued by, taboo and eerie to even see the word written.
Then comes the blunder of the chess I play with this book, but the author plays checkers. The author does not know the difference between ravens and crows. Ravens croak, crows caw and purr. Crows are more docile and move in groups called a murder. Theres your education.
Offensive but if it were a really spectacular novel I would have let it slide.
Then we get a dull main character genderswapped for Dorian Grey and an arranged marriage where she needs to present herself youthful.
In my opinion what dragged it for me a lot was the third person narrative on a lot of places and it kept ejecting me from the dread I was supposed to feel.
The writing style is really nice which honestly saved it from me not being able to continue on with it. that being said my closing thoughts are that I would love to see this authors writing in 5 years when the plot and characters are more digested by their creator and keeping this style of writing , give me another crimson peak. I have faith in you. 3.75 stars

[Rosalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free from Booksirens.com and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.



This book was a doozy. I did like certain parts like the gothic feel and the mention of cannibalism and potentially immortality but overall this feels like several different ideas cobbled together poorly. I feel like this could have made a brilliant screenplay/movie with a little bit of polishing. The FMC feels too emotionless and naive for everything going on around her. The "twists" don't feel like twists but more like an attempt to save the story rather than planned to progress the story. It left me with more questions than answers but the main question was "what was the point of that?"



I do appreciate having the stronger female characters but the focus was not on them enough. Your focus is drawn instead to a bunch of random insignificant characters and their deaths for no purpose. This feels like it should be an allegory on feminism and the trials and tribulations that women have to suffer through and how we are so stuck on youth and appearance but it falls so flat, unfortunately. There is a lot of potential here but it doesn't quite hit the mark in the right way.'



I really wanted to like this book more based off the summary alone but it was such a hard read for me.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start off by saying thank you to NetGalley and BTW LLC Publishing House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has it all with murder, cannibalism, mayhem, and mummies.

Genevieve is twenty years old when she is told to act as if she is seventeen to be more suitable for men looking for wives. She marries Hugh McKinley the day she meets him and soon realizes he is cruel, quick to anger, delusional, and his entire family is determined to stay young forever by any and all means necessary. The secret to remaining youthful? Cannibalism and when you can find one, buying a mummy.

Genevieve is treated more like a possession rather than a spouse, which wasn't uncommon in the 17th century when this takes place, she idly stands by and watches the horrors occurring within the McKinley Manor without attempting to stop them or try to leave. Survival means becoming one of them so she adapts to her surroundings, mimics the families behavior when needed, and acts as if she is one of them. I honestly found Genevieve to be a dull character which made this book difficult for me to get through even though I enjoyed the subject matter. If Genevieve's character was developed better this could have been a four to five star book.

[Krystelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Conceptually, this book had everything designed for me to enjoy it. The historical context, the insanity of the beliefs attached to the mummies and the horror elements, and the creeping sense of dread. Realistically, this book should have been a dream for me, but I just couldn't get into it as much as I'd hoped. There was definitely a good atmosphere built up in the house, but the structure of the book just seemed a little off to me, and I didn't connect with the main character as much as I would have hoped.

The concept of living in a home in a marriage you've been somewhat forced into with cannibalistic practices is horrifying, but the main character simply sees it as water off a duck's back. The language used in the book is not accurate to the time either, and there seems to be a focus on the horror without much thought as to the consequences of the horror itself.

It was definitely a long haul, and I feel it could have benefited from some heavy editing in places. I really enjoyed the concept, as I said, but unfortunately this book just did not do it for me.

[Marly Mcastocker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Btwllcpublishinghouse for this ARC. Sinew and Bone is delightfully creepy, chaotic, and gory. Geneveive is an unreliable narrator who has a penchant for disregarding what is happening around her. Typically, this would be problematic in a novel for me; however, I found her to be an absolute riot in her delusional thought processes and speech. Despite being a horror novel, this book is quite funny and clever with its petulant characters, exaggerated take on westernized beauty standards and feminism. It draws light on these social issues in a way that is so over the top that it cannot go unnoticed. The reason I only gave this book 3 stars was because I thought there could have been a bit more context given to the ending, a bit more foreshadowing, a build up of sorts before the big reveal. Aside from that, I enjoyed the way it was written, I loved the humor mixed in with the gore, and the overall story was compelling.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot even begin to understand the practice of cannibalism. This book told a horrifying tale of the family that ‘shopped’ for their meal through marriage of people from other communities. Genevieve thought she was given the opportunity to get away from her overbearing family. If only she had known what she was getting into. This tale was very descriptive of what a mummy raising could be like. I was filled with terror at reading about Genevieve near death experiences. This family was truly unhinged. What happens when there is food shortage? Well people go completely off the wall. This group quickly becomes their own downfall. There would have been no way I would want to be a part of this trend.

[Tavia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the 1600s, Genevieve is thrust into a quickie marriage with Hugh McKinley and taken to his family’s mansion. Once she arrives her chambermaid is missing and she is subjected to bizarre rules& abuse by Hugh. But things get weirder as Genevieve meets Hugh’s deranged family. Ghosts, mummies, cannibalism, murder and mayhem ensue.

I thought this book was disjointed at times, but some of the ghosts & other creatures were spooky. Tamar’s writing style reminds me of Darcy Coates. I learned about “mummia.”
Trust me, you don’t want to know.

Thank you to NetGalley and BookBuzz.net for a copy of this book.

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinew and Bone takes readers on a haunting journey through 17th-century London, where Genevieve discovers her parents have arranged a marriage for her, insisting she pretend to be younger to attract wealthy suitors. What begins as a tale of social intrigue quickly spirals into a gripping exploration of betrayal and madness as Genevieve uncovers the dark secrets lurking within her new home. I thoroughly enjoyed how the atmospheric writing pulled me into the eerie world of high society, making every twist feel both shocking and inevitable.

[Kirstyn (readwithkirstyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinew and Bone by Gitte Tamar is a stunningly crafted novel that weaves together elements of fantasy and dark folklore with breathtaking prose. The world-building is immersive, pulling readers into a richly detailed landscape filled with complex characters and gripping dilemmas. Tamar’s storytelling is both haunting and poignant, exploring themes of power, sacrifice, and the ties that bind us. This book is a captivating journey that will resonate with fans of richly woven narratives and emotional depth.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started out a bit slow and confusing as to what exactly was going on at first. The family and what they were doing was beyond weird but it all came together in the end in a way and things were explained resolved enough to satisfy me anyway. If you are a reader that likes Gothic horror a bit on the eccentric side then this is for you. This isn't the first time I have read novels by this author and won't be the last.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelsey Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cat lovers are safe to read this one. TW for other animals though. They’re not marked safe.
The pacing in this book was incredibly inconsistent. It started at warp speed, for sure. There isn’t true development with the characters, so it was a little jarring initially. This isn’t the kind of book you read and say wow, so maybe that’s ok. It definitely reads as a YA. Very simple writing style and not a lot of thinking involved. There is quite a bit of gore involved, so maybe not for young teens/tweens, but good for an average high school kid.
Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

[Suzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brilliant premise, who doesn't like cannibalism? But, alas, it is badly written.

Things I liked:
✅Loved 'take a moment to confirm that no one, living or dead, is observing you.'
✅I liked the gross and graphic descriptions of gore and bloodshed and general nastiness.

Things, not so much:
⭕ Epilogue felt a bit too try-hard to sound old fashioned and creepy.
⭕Too many adverbs
⭕Cold, cold, frost, wintery, frigid, cold, frigid,cold... Etc.
⭕Very clunky and disjointed.
⭕It always oh so cold....
⭕Very repetitive
⭕The mummy just happens to speak English...?

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa, if you’re looking for a wild ride, Sinew and Bone is it! Picture this: 17th-century London, a mansion dripping with secrets, and a heroine who’s got more guts than she knows! Genevieve’s journey from a nervous bride-to-be to a fearless truth-seeker had me on the edge of my seat, especially with the creepy twists involving cannibalism and betrayal. If you love a book that keeps you guessing while also giving you chills, dive into this gem—you won’t regret it! 📚✨

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

About halfway through this I had to take a break, because I thought I was going to lose my supper. This was so grizzly and sick! I thought Adeline and her whole family were very pompous , condescending, and atrocious without any redeeming qualities. Then I took their full measure. It was all too repetitive for me and not my cuppa. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.

[Megan Puddefoot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book but I must say that I was confused by it.

I loved the start of this book but once I found out there was a flesh eating mummy in a book set in the 1600s I was not so keen on it. I think I was expecting a different family secret.

The main character frustrated me and I didn't quite understand why Genevieve was so passive to the events around her, whilst I understand that this was a different time period, I personally could not keep quiet whilst the strange and greedy rituals happened.

Overall it was an average read but I don't think I would read this again.

[Timothy Frandsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is one messed up book. That isn’t a negative in this case. This author has an imagination that probably scares them. This just kept getting more and more twisted which made me want to see how far off the rails it could go. It went far. For those that enjoy twisted imaginations and limited filter you will definitely enjoy this. I know I did.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[J R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. WHOOF. this was a long ride:

The opening was quite horrid, and not in the sense of a strong horror. But as it went on and built, the characters started working better than before and the ending sequence especially was fantastic. A bit of a slog to get through at first (especially at over 500 pages???) but when it hits the end it's worth it. 3.5 stars, could shift. tysm for the arc.

[Tiffannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

TW for all animals, minus cats!
This wasn't a bad read however, it was very inconsistent when it comes to pace and there were times were the gap between periods was unbearable. While the characters are not bad, there was no development for them to grow. It most definitely reads very YA. I did however enjoy the gore!!!
Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

[Anna Saval · Rating 2 out of 5]

90% of the book is Genevieve roaming around, frightened by shadows which never harm her and also plagued with shrieking voices that do nothing but call her name again and again.
The scariest part was the priest crawling towards her and yelling „In your stomach I sit“
Need I say more?
No recommendation

[Kristi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I almost didn’t finish this about halfway through, but just kept skimming. The author’s overuse of the word envelop made it more irritating. Glad it’s over, not for me!