Waves Take Your Bones

by Athena Giles

Tallis and Finn, simple farmers, find their quiet village overrun by shriekers, a horde of undead revenants. After a devastating attack and heartbreaking losses, they must flee the only land they’ve known for the capital of the kingdom of Okaesa. Along the way, Tallis and Finn are separated from the other refugees, with their only escape across the Nightmare Bridge, a thing of horrific legends, which leaves them both scarred from the experience.

In the capital, there is still no safety, for Tallis and Finn are drafted into the navy aboard separate ships, under dueling commanders. Amid struggling with the loss of their home they might find themselves crossing blades with those dearest to them who have fallen to the mysterious undead disease. The capital, an island fortress seems to be the last refuge of the kingdom, until Tallis discovers the undead have learned to sail…

Check out Athena Giles debut book, Waves Take Your Bones!

Fantasy / Epic Fantasy / Ace / Gay / Pirates / Zombies / LGBT

Adult and New Adult

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Zombies, Fiction, Adventure

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Jinx_Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Athena Giles and the publisher for the opportunity to review an audio ARC of this book.

Waves Take Your Bones is an epic journey across both land and sea. Young farmers and best friends Tallis and Finn lose their home to relentless undead that take everything they hold most dear. They travel across the deadly landscape with only each other to rely on only to be separated when they reach safety. Recruited to the navy, they are assigned to the ships of rival captains. Only to learn that the undead have learned to sail.

My favorite thing about this book is how cinematic it feels. I could do clearly picture the action scenes in my mind and feel their urgency. The first third of the book is fast paced, each event driving us to the next. I did feel the pacing slipped a little once we arrive at the capital and training begins. Though the last act picks up the sense of urgency again.

Tallis and Finn are both interesting characters who are forced to grow and change due to the tragedy in the opening chapters of the book. It makes them examine who they are and their friendship with each other. Who are they when they aren’t together?

The audio performances were lovely. I think it enchanted that cinematic vibe I was experiencing.

I will be waiting excitedly to see where the story goes from here. Waves Take Your Bones was a truly wonderful book.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story with a surprising amount of depth that is essentially a zombie story, except it's secondary-world fantasy, and as a result it's got a different take on it that is surprising. I'm not generally a fan of zombie stories but this story got to me. Perhaps because it focuses on human relationships over the monster threat, and therefore the book feels so much more human, while at the same time also feeling much more epic.
Having said that, I feel like the book could've focused more on the relationship between Tallis and Finn. Every time those two were together, the book became so much better. They have such an interesting relationship; in any other book they'd be love interests, but they're not, and the book is all the better for it. They're not siblings either, which is a good thing; the closest thing they are is best friends, but even that doesn't feel right. I would've loved it if the book spent so much more time on them being together, which is why it was a bit of a bummer they spent so much time apart. I had fun and it's a fun romp, and I'm eagerly awaiting where Giles can take this story and world.

[Shayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I really liked this book! It was very engaging and had great characters. The world building was good without being tedious. I loved how the society is very egalitarian even though that’s not very common in pirate/1800s type books. There was a good balance between character development and action which is really hard to find in middle grade books.

The book is told in alternating perspectives between Tallis, a very strong female main character, and her best guy friend, Finn. I think having the male and female perspectives helps it appeal to both boys and girls. There is some decent LGBTQ+ representation with Finn & Cory, though it’s not a central theme of the story so I don’t think it would super offend any conservative readers. Tallis is supposed to be 19 and Finn is 18 but I swear they seem young and more what you’d expect in middle grade books. I really pictured them both a lot younger which works great for what I’m looking for as a school book.

My only very minor critique is that the middle is a tad slow, but it still kept me reading to find out what’s next.

I would love to use this book for my 7th grade book club. I think the kids would enjoy it and there would be enough talking points -friendship, being brave in the face of danger, feeling like you don’t have options, and discussing where the book seems to be headed- that it would be a good discussion. I think this would be good in a school library. There is a lot of death and loss in the book because they are fighting a zombie invasion, but no really graphic violence and no drug, sex, and minimal alcohol use. Definitely could be in the middle school library. Personally, I least really enjoyed the book and I want to read the next book to see what happens!

Thank you to NetGalley & Tantor Media for an ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This swashbuckling tale has so much packed into it - friendship, tragedy, sacrifice, visions, adventure at sea, a zombie horde, an impenetrable fortress of an island, a ship of myth and legend, and a mysterious past that keeps you wondering. It feels very relatable that there are characters who aren't so sure of themselves, but new friendships blossom despite the dire circumstances they find themselves in. The encouragement the characters get those around them helps them survive, and maybe even open their hearts again (although, to be clear, this is not a romance). This is a great read for adults or young adults who love a fantasy adventure with a fast moving plot. The narrative bounced back and forth between the 2 two main characters which kept it interesting (without causing any confusion - not always an easy feat). I loved that this world seemed a bit less sexist than ours (I swooned over the female Captain Eiran), and the story included at least one non-binary character.

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧 Audio Review: The voices were nice to listen to, but were so nice that I found myself drifting numerous times. I could’ve been lulled to sleep if I didn’t keep reminding myself to pay attention for the first half. (This may just be a ‘me’ issue) - This book was so intriguing I think it would be best to read the physical or digital copy.

📝 Story Review: Overall I really enjoyed this story and am curious as to when book 2 will release. The only thing I didn’t like was in the first 1/3 of the book the dialogue had some childish repetition to it in certain parts. But for a YA fantasy, I found it to be quite fun even though it has a darker tone to it.

The shriekers are infected with something no one understands and one bite from them means you turn into them (kinda like zombie vibes), they seem to be mindless creatures, yet as we go further into the story they seem to have planned attacks… so what’s really going on? (Hopefully book 2 clears that up) Two childhood besties flee from their homes after shriekers attack and although they had already planned to enlist in the army and fight against this foe, they never thought about the fact that they might be separated and put on different ships. This story is told in dual POV, so you can see from his and her perspective on their different ships as they embark on a mission to scout out the shriekers who seem to have suddenly vanished.

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5/5

Vibes: Family loss; struggling to protect those you love; adventure on the high seas but make it dark since lives are at risk!

Tropes 👇

- Seafaring adventure
- Fighting hordes of deadly foes
- Survival skills
- Childhood besties
- Minimal LGBTQ rep

CW’s 👇

- Death
- Violence
- Loss of loved ones

Original Paperback Release: 8/5/2025
Audio Release Date: February 24, 2026
Audio Run Time: 8 hrs, 55 mins
Narrated By: Daniel Henning & Diana Blue
Series: Children of Sea & Sky, Book 1.
Genre: YA Fantasy
POV: Dual; Third Person.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this ALC in return for my honest review.

[High Lady of Delulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say if I just had the wrong expectations, thinking this would mostly take place at sea.
Or if I'd hoped for an LGBTQIA+ main couple/character, because that was one of the tags that made me pick it.
Maybe I was expecting queer pirates fighting zombies, I don't know.
-

I think in general this book had an intriguing premise and a lot of potential. It just wasn't for me and left me too ambivalent to continue.
I genuinely feel like Waves Take Your Bones will totally engage other readers and the world and reality this seems to be set in are a lot of fun as a concept! And to be fair, it does come with a pretty cool title and cover.



Sort-of-zombies attacking, decapitations, rescuing a child from a sort-of-zombie-to-be-mother, spontaneous sign ups to join a crew,... yet, 20% in I still felt like nothing was happening.

Somehow, I just found myself so emotionally disinterested. The plot said adventure, I think it's the writing that didn't work for me personally and thus couldn't deliver that feeling for me.


Aside from the pacing, the dialogues in particular seemed a bit disadvantageous. Because while I thought the characters seemed interesting, I couldn't even latch onto the story by connecting to them because I perceived them as almost unauthentic.


Looking beyond that, however, I can absolutely appreciate the concept. The relationship dynamics I saw were complex, which I like, and the overall mood absolutely sets the scene for that adventure tale.

I mean, kingdoms, sword fights and leaving everything behind that hasn't been killed by zombie-creatures to travel the seas? That sure sounds like a great time! And I'm genuinely glad other readers seem to be experiencing just that.


--

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Media and Athena Giles for an ALC of Waves Take Your Bones

[SullenSapphic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tallis and Finn are kids who are growing up and are still learning the ways of life when their lives get turned upside down. They soon find their village overrun by shriekers, undead revenants. They find themselves on the run and are able to make it safely onto ships out of the area, not without suffering devastating losses.

Finding new life in the capital, they both join the Navy. However, moving to the capital did not provide them much safety from the undead. They both now have to embark on a dangerous endeavour to take out the growing shrieker threat, who has now learned how to sail. Have Tallis and Finn sealed their fates by joining the Navy?

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the author in return for my honest review. I will say I haven’t always been a big fan of the SciFi & Fantasy genre but I always am looking for a good story that either features zombies or the undead. I found that not only was this book low fantasy, it was an enthralling adventure that featured the undead. Undead who are learning. I love undead movies / stories when the undead become more sentient. It heightens the awareness because you never know what is going to happen.

I am always looking for queer media to read / listen to and this story does fall into that category. So, if this is something that bothers you as a potential listener / reader, then don’t read / listen and give a bad review because that is really annoying to see. Finn is queer and he meets another queer character along the way.

The audiobook is narrated by Daniel Henning and Diana Blue. Both of their narrations brought this story to life and helped me enjoy the story and get past the names of people and places that I would probably have a hard time pronouncing myself (lol).

🏴‍☠️ Undead / Zombies
🏴‍☠️ Combat
🏴‍☠️ Violence & Loss
🏴‍☠️ Fantasy
🏴‍☠️ Queer Representation
🏴‍☠️ Found Family
🏴‍☠️ Dystopian / Post-Apocalyptic

[MizzyRed · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I loved how the phrase (and title of this book) "waves take your bones" was both a blessing/farewell and a curse to the enemies (mostly shriekers in this first book at least). It really brought to home how much the sea plays a part in the lives of these people and added to the richness of the world they are living in.

I think this was a pretty strong middle grade novel that would be interesting to young teens with its shriekers (kinda like zombies but a bit more with venom) and its main characters, Tallis and Finn both with strengths and weaknesses but willing to fight on the ships to protect their families and land from the shriekers. It has a very strong 1800s and pirates swashbuckling feel, but nicely egalitarian in its opportunities for all willing to fight and serve in the fleet. I also really liked how Tallis and Finn were not pushed into a romance. No time for that! Plus they make great friends and found family! As this is the first book, it has a good setup and a couple battles that are quite exciting and heartbreaking. There is a bit of foreshadowing with the shriekers, some wins and losses and high stakes left hanging for the fate of the capital and kingdom of Okaesa.

This was a well done audiobook with the narrators, Daniel Henning and Diana Blue, doing an excellent job in bringing the characters of Tallis and Finn to life and the world they live in. I am glad I got the chance to listen to it and I cannot wait to see what happens next!

[Sef Sparkes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good mix of fantasy, zombies, and a touch of sea adventure in a way I found interesting, if a little lacking. (I really wanted more ships!) The world felt well built, and the zombie element added tension that kept me engaged even though I am not usually a fan of zombies.

That said, it didn’t fully match what I expected going in. Based on the cover and details, I thought the story would focus more on ships, but the ship side of things doesn’t really appear until later in the book. Because of that, it felt more like a long introduction; which I am not sure if it was intended that way or not.

I liked the characters overall, and I found the writing easy to follow. There is some LGBTQ+ representation, which I appreciated, though I did wish it had been explored a bit more and we had more time with the character together.

Overall, I think this is a solid start to a series with a lot of potential. While it didn’t quite hit every expectation for me, it built an amazing world and left me curious about where the story will go next.

**Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC.**

[Yuliya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did this book make me feel anything? No. Can I tell you WHY it didn't make me feel anything? Also no. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, the story was fine. I love zombie-like things in fantasy. I like that the main characters were a girl and boy who aren't ever romantically linked. I think a big part of it is just that big, emotional moments weren't given that big, emotional weight. For example, near the beginning, Tallis has to kill her own father who is turned into a Shrieker (this world's version of a zombie) and then she just moves on and only thinks about it a couple of times after the fact. If you want the reader to react to these things, the characters should also be reacting to them. I'm also not a fan of the FMC (who I THINK is black or something else non-white) being ace while the MMC gets a least of hint of their own Achillean romance. (Why is it always WOC who are strong and independent enough to not need anyone so we can focus on the M/M romance??)

Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the advanced copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Dan Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I too would like to get a boat and use my swashbuckling in a productive way. Thankfully there is no plague turning folks into quasi mindless monsters, that I'm aware of. "Wave Take Your Bones" is available from Tantor Audio.

Tallis and Finn unfortunately just lost their homes. Because of the undead hordes. Like ya do. On their escape they flee over a bridge that curses them with glimpses of a possible futures. They are then put on different ships in the navy and for the first time experience life apart. And then the ghouls figure out sailing so living on an island suddenly isn't a safe option.

Narrated by Daniel Henning and Diana Blue, how the characters changed came across in your performances excellently.

Reasons to read:
-Least my parent issues aren't that bad
-The parallels between the captains and the youths
-Some decent, if ill timed, quarantine methods
-How the hell did they learn to sail?

Cons:
-Well that was a bit bleak there

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

Thank you to NetGalley, Athena Giles and Tantor Media for the audiobook ARC!

As a big fan of fantasy and pirate stories, I was immediately drawn to this book, and I did enjoy parts of it.

A lot happens throughout the story, and the plot is well constructed. However, I found it difficult to fully connect with the characters, which made it harder to feel completely immersed. I was also expecting a more mature tone.

The narration was solid, and I especially appreciated the dual POV and the use of two narrators. It added depth to the dynamic between the two main characters, whose relationship was one of the highlights for me.

In the end, this one simply didn’t match my personal taste, but it’s still a well-crafted story and a great audiobook that many readers will likely enjoy.

[Critter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

I enjoyed listening to this one. It has some great characters that were well developed. We get to see them grow and change from where the book begins to where it ends. I loved seeing them interact with each other. The world is well built and I enjoyed the fantasy elements in this book. This book really builds up for more in a series that looks like it will be an exciting mesh of fantasy, horror, and sea adventures. The narrators do great job with the characters and bringing them to life in this book. I'm looking forward to what this author writes next.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to read this book, it had that element that I wanted and enjoyed in the overall feel of the world. It uses the fantasy elements to introduce the characters and their world. I thought it worked well as a opening chapter in the Children of Sea and Sky series and thought the zombie element was a great addition. Athena Giles writes a strong storyline and was glad I got to read this and look forward to more.

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

[HeatherH · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantasy story that gave the vibes of both a zombie story and an almost pirate-esque story. Waves Take Your Bones was a fun ride from the first chapter until the ending. I was lucky enough to get approved for an audio arc via NetGalley and I really enjoyed this one. Giles created characters with depth and personality, who you wanted to cheer for through their, at times, harrowing adventure. There were friendships, heartbreak, and loss. I definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a fast past adventure set both on land and at sea. Looking forward to book 2!

[Katrina Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

I'd like to thank NetGalley for the audio ARC!

This was a fun story with fantasy zombies called "shriekers". The characters were relatable and the plot was easy to follow. I also loved the representation and strong women. That being said, this is Young Adult in my opinion, as the protagonists are barely 17-18 year old (based on my memories). The reader needs to suspend their disbelief at some character decisions, but it didn't bother me much. Overall, I listened to it in one go and enjoyed it. The narration was also great.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review based on an ALC via NetGalley

Unfortunately this wasn't what I had expected. The cover and blurb made me think this was a story set mainly on ships, but the actual part involving ships is maybe the last 15-20%. The novel itself is more of a very long prologue to what is to come in the next book(s) than an actual story that can stand on its own.

LGBTQ+ representation is minimal, only one possibly transgender secondary character.

The narration was good, though.

[Rebecca Rapin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of Waves Take Your Bones. I enjoyed the story and think it sets out a great idea to take into future books. The characters were great and there were some really interesting parts of the world. I listened to the audiobook and I felt that it started out sounding like a children’s story a little too much but this did improve throughout but was still enjoyable.

[William Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zombies and high seas adventure! What's not to like!
This book has a great mix of fantasy adventure, solid characters, and some really tense situations. It manages to hit the zombie tropes while still keeping to a secondary-world epic fantasy feel. Plus is has some great reputation with an ace-coded protagonist, as well as gay and trans characters.

[Guillaume · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une histoire intéressante (des zombies dans un univers fanststiques), mais peut-être un peu cousu de fil blanc (est ce que c'est vraiment le cousin du roi le coupable ?). Et la progression de l'héroîne est un peu rapide. Avoir sur la suite

[BookishKB]

🌊⚔️🦴 Waves Take Your Bones 🦴⚔️🌊

Full ARC Review to come. Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.

🎙️ Narration Style: Dual (Daniel Henning, Diana Blue)
📅 Pub Date: February 24, 2026