Roll the Bones

by Shannon Doyle

In the years after a tragic accident killed her sister, Claire had all but abandoned her telekinetic abilities. Plenty of other people had them, too, so it wasn’t a big deal… At least that’s what she told herself. But a new group of friends in her college town inspires Claire to reconsider her decision. Encouraged by their warmth and casual acceptance of their own gifts, Claire revisits parts of herself, and her past, that she had hidden long ago.

Against her better judgement, Claire joins an underground network of other gifted individuals to learn more about the nature of her abilities. She soon discovers that while the members of the online community are anonymous, they are not all strangers. As she spirals deeper into the shadowy organization, Claire must determine who she can trust as she confronts the mysteries of her past and sets the course of her future.

431 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2024

Reviews

[Elbert Lai · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't met Claire and her friends yet, then you will want to add this book to your list. Shannon Doyle has carefully crafted a new universe that is sure to captivate fans of the modern fantasy genre. Just as I loved Ernest Kline's Ready Player One partly for all of the references to video games and pop culture in the 80s, I loved references in Roll the Bones to current and past pop culture: comics, cartoons, and even repartee of literary quotes!

Roll the Bones started off quickly and immediately grabbed my attention before settling into a comfortable and pleasurable pace. As the story progressed, I found myself investing more emotion and energy into the characters and concepts that were playing out until like a well-composed opera -- rise and fall, crescendo and diminuendo -- until at the novel's climax, I realized I had been reading with bated breath. When I reached the last page, I wanted more. This is a well-formed universe that in a multiversal reality might sit just adjacent to our's, possibly with a designation of Earth-94601.

Shannon Doyle has joined the ranks of my must-read authors, and I can't wait to visit Claire's universe again.

[crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I cried, and thoroughly enjoyed all of the random references. Had difficulty putting this book down last night but finished it pretty much the first chance I had this morning.

I do need to declare that I am on team pineapple on pizza so hopefully that does or does not change your view of my judgment.

Hoping there will be a sequel!

[Jessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. I especially loved the dialogue between Claire and her friends, because it seemed so authentic to conversations I could have had in college. What a wonderful debut from this new author and I hope she writes more!