One year after losing Finn to fire, cult, and sacrifice, she swore she’d never love again. She lied. Now Finn is back—feral, obsessive, wearing death like a crown, and he’s come to claim what was always his.
A Halloween novella of possession, blood, and bone-deep love. Bonepetal is for fans of dark romance, horror retellings, and the monsters who refuse to stay buried.
Whew baby if you’re looking for a dark, ghoulish, smutty novella with amazing lore oh this is the one for you👏🏾.
I swear every time u read books that have cult action going on they never disappoint. Finn and Salem had me hooked for the simple fact that it’s so relatable if you’ve ever wanted someone so bad when you know you shouldn’t? Yea so we shouldn’t want the devil, but he’s soooo good at drawing you in and playing on your emotions and desires.
I don’t even blame Salem I would’ve folded for my ex from the dead too even if he’s a little devilish now🙃
But that cliffhanger tho? Uhm I need a second part because wym she did all that for nothing🥲
If you are looking for a delicious, ghoulish dark romance for the spooky season, filled with lots of spicy chili peppers… then this book may be for you.
Bonepetal bases itself around the love story of Salem and Finn. A relationship that developed in one of the most chaotic settings imaginable. In a place of upbringing that is not traditional.
That “lifestyle” takes a bad turn when the people in that environment decide a fate for Salem. One Finn does not agree with which makes him jump into action, causing a large change in both of their futures.
I don’t want to say too much, because I don’t want to give the story away. But if you like stories of obsessive hauntings and being chased with Halloween elements….pick BONEPETAL up and see for yourself where the story goes.
Know that there are plenty of trigger warnings that should be looked into prior to reading this book. It is also filled with a good amount of very detailed, dark, spice filled scenes. Some bdsm style themes and obsessive behaviours.
This is my first Nova Kane book and likely won’t be my last. The storyline was well created and enjoyable to read.
Spooky season is upon us, so pick this up when it releases on October 3rd!
-Calling all dark horror, erotica, ghoul loving readers!!- This was an insane trip of twisted lore, cult rituals, obsession and SO MUCH SPICE!!
I knew the premise of the story before I got stuck into this. Had read some of Nova’s previous books, but nothing prepared me for the utter shock and thrill this book provided! It’s very different to her usual DR stories, obviously dripped in gore/horror/lust elements.. and it was so freaking good I tell you!! My mouth was gaped through a lot of this 😂
Literally perfect for the spooky season, when the veil between our worlds are thin 😉 🐦⬛ Easily read in a short sitting, being a novella. With so many crazy things happening. Go forth, be shocked, enjoy 😂🔥
okayy nova writes cult sacrifices. she got me hooked at the crow retelling !! one vow, one sacrifice, your dead ex crawls his way out from a grave
finn & salem grew up in a cult. when she almost dies he begs for his soul to be taken instead of hers. she broke the veil, the vow to never love again and found a lover to help fill the void he left. 1 year later finn comes back from the dead to keep the girl who has always belonged to him
they both held me by my throat & pulled me right underneath into the grave. i went feral when he poured wax on her to burn the devil away
crows are one of my favorite types of birds so that made this story so much more beautiful. bonepetal is a dark halloween crow retelling on possession, vengeance, bone deep devotion & monsters who refuse to stay buried
“You fucking look at me when I ruin you, bonepetal. Look through Nathan’s empty fucking eyes. Through his skull. Through the grave you fucking made me crawl out of.”
This book was wild. I loved every weird second. The only thing I wish was it was longer. I want more. 4.5
Bonepetal by Nova Kane is a dark, romantic Halloween novella packed with cult rituals, possession, and the kind of obsessive “touch her and die” love story that lingers long after the final page.
There’s a lot to enjoy in this short but intense read. The writing pulls no punches (it dives into the gore fairly quickly, so a quick PSA there), but the visceral descriptions fit the tone and world perfectly. I especially loved all the chapters from Finn’s POV; they were raw, compelling, and full of emotion. By comparison, some of Salem’s chapters left me eager to return to Finn’s perspective.
While it stands alone well, there are moments that feel like a lead-up to something more and I’d happily read a sequel if one ever comes. If you’re looking for a quick, bloody, and beautifully written dark romance to add to your spooky-season TBR, this one’s worth picking up.
Personally, I love story retelling, so it was no brainer to me to pick up Nova's recent release as it's a Crow inspired book. When Finn saves Salem's life after exchanging his own soul in a cult sacrifice year later, he comes back to the world of living after the promise was broken by Salem. Gone is the person who Salem mourns. Finn is unhinged and will do everything in his power to make Salem his again and prove to her that there is no escape from him. If what I've just described is something up to your liking, you should definitely check out Bonepetal!
Our FMC is Salem and learning her backstory will break your heart, it's absolutely gut-wrenching. I liked getting to know her inner thoughts, her suffering/grieving, how she tries to deal with it all. With Finn's the first death anniversary coming soon, her mind is wrecking havoc on her. He sacrificed himself, saving her from dying. There's so much she is dealing with, masking in front of others, trying to appear normal. Now what happens when she breaks her vows, stirring his spirit and death corpse? He craves revenge. Salem broke her vow you see and that's f*ckin' no-no. He won't leave her ever again until she knows she only belongs to him and him only...
First of all, The Crow is one of my favourite movies and when I heard this is a re-telling? I jumped for the opportunity to arc read it at once! And my, oh my, have I enjoyed it. This is one of many books by Nova Kane I've been blessed to Arc review and once again, I'm head over heels for it. Such a scorching hawt little Halloween Novella! It's so good!
Second of all, the spice is so mouth-watering. The grave scene? Uffff. Delicious! There's the paranormal element to the story of course, creepy yet fascinating, friendships and a twisted version of dark romance. The ending is unexpected - the way I had to go back and re-read a few parts. I love how absolutely unhinged the MMC is in this little short story, completely bonkers, obsessed ad possessive. A neon red flag, I want ten of him. World building is good for a Novella, easy pace and didn't drag for me, plotline is dark and addictive.
🖤Horror Erotica 🖤Dual POV 🖤CNC 🖤Kn!fe Play 🖤Primal Play 🖤Cůlt / Sacrifice ⚠️CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS
Well, I really enjoyed this one! It’s a quick read, but honestly felt more medium-paced for a novella. I loved the overall premise…it centers around Salem and Finn, two souls in love and tied to a cult where she’s meant to be the sacrifice and he becomes her savior. That setup alone had me hooked!
🫣That said, I found myself wanting more. More backstory on the cult, more depth in the love story between Salem and Finn, and just a little extra detail to really flesh out the story. The ending felt a bit like a cliffhanger, and some of the dialogue got a little repetitive when it could’ve been used to build the story further.
Still, I had a good time with it! I loved the characters and the spice was pretty good. I was down with the gothic, culty, witchy vibes, and little dark romance that we did get.
⭐️ 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋 - MAYBE RECOMMEND!!! 💀 CHECK TRIGGERS. If you’re looking for a quick, eerie read with cultish undertones and a dash of doomed love.
Spookalicious, goralicious, spicy goodness!!!! Yes Bonepetal needs to be added to your spooky season reading list. Short and powerful this novella hits all the marks for the perfect dark Halloween read. On point for Nova Kane’s fantastic writing the detailed development of the world and incredible characters put us right into the middle of all the chaos. This raw tormented emotional ride plays with your feels. Salem trying to live in a world without her true love just going through the motions but never really feeling complete. Finn, who sacrifices everything, is the dominant, obsessive, touch what belongs to me and and die an excruciating death kind of guy who would rise from the dead for the one he loves. The flashes of their past history and their bond to each other is perfectly written. The spice is beyond spicy. Raw fierce primal passion will require an extra pair of panties once done reading. I have to say I was hooked from the very beginning and devoured this incredible creepy, haunted Halloween paranormal romance. That ending???? Damn, I’m begging for more.
I absolutely loved this book! It was exactly the Halloween read I was craving!!
I adored both the MMCs. We have Salem who is grieving, torn between the boy she lost and the monster he’s become. And then there’s Finn. *que heart eyes* I mean he's morally black walking red flag, but every one of those flags looks like a heart to me. His bone deep devotion, blood soaked obsession, and unrelenting claim to Salem!?!?? I was obsessed. I AM OBSESSED.
Bonepetal was a novella that was enjoyable, especially since I am a huge fan of The Crow movies. Salem and Finn have a very dynamic, sad, and tragic story that was forced upon them due to Cultish family and dynamics.
Finn is an intense and probably one of Nova’s most possessive characters to date. Salem is a character that was interesting and more on the underdog side when it comes to the FMCs of Nova’s books, but relatable in a way that you feel bad for her with the vow that was forced upon her.
I normally give Nova a five star rating with her books, but this one was only a four due to the fact that I wasn’t as drawn in as I thought I would be, the characters were ok, but not some of my favorites. But this novella is a good read if you enjoy a darker, Halloween vibe and want something that reminds you of the movie and vibes around it 💋🖤
I liked the premise but I couldn't get a sense of any real genuine feelings that the MCs had towards each other. The FMC was all over the place...she's sneaking out of bed away from the boyfriend, like you do when you DON'T like someone very much, but annoyed when the MMC comes back into the picture. She's a-ok with the MMC killing her parents, still wistfully missing the MMC after and hugging his sweatshirt every night, but hates that he killed her kind-of boyfriend.
The writing wasn't bad but there were many purple prose moments. I love an evocatively written scene or inner dialogue but there's a point where it feels that the author is straining to imply depth of emotion when sometimes less or simple is more.
the writing in this felt so different from her previous books and had me hooked from beginning to end. it felt like living in darkness and not wanting to crawl your way out.
finn and salem are both so dark and morbidly made for each other. everything they went through felt like a sharp knife slicing through the pages, begging you to keep your attention on them.
the setting was perfect for the dark, autumnal season coming up and felt like watching a movie with how beautiful it was described.
thank you so much for the arc! i’m over here desperately needing more from this world 😩
Nova has done it again! Bonepetal was one heck of a ride! I loved Salem and Finn‘s story. Starcrossed secret lovers torn apart by an act of self-sacrifice to save Salem from being a cult sacrifice to the Devil, the relationship between our MCs is complicated to say the least. Especially when Finn comes back from the dead to claim what was always his, Salem. I enjoyed the pacing, spice, and overall character development in this one. Plus, the side characters had me cracking up. I fully ship Miles and Jamie! I highly recommend this one for my dark romance lovers who like an ending that leaves you with many unanswered questions.
I want to start off by saying just because this book wasn't for me does not mean it wasn't meant for you.
the plot of this book I truly believe will grasp a lot of people and keep them hooked.
A charming man who sacrificed himself to save the woman he loved since he was a kid, coming back from the grave when she gave what was supposed to be only his to another man... herself, her body, her heart...
Unfortunately God didn't grab him fast enough and the devil beat him to it. Finn is not the same man that Salem once knew the same man that died so she could live. and he won't let Salam forget it, he isn't going anywhere!
this is a novella with a lot of spice, again just because it fell flat with me may not mean it's not gonna be a 5 star for you!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
He sacrifices his life for you. Makes a vow to come back for you.
A year later after the tragic events of the Halloween before, he makes good on that vow, but he sees you with someone else. When he comes back with a mask made of the skull of the man you were with you know in your heart he isn’t the same anymore. So what do you do? Run!…….”wrong choice Bonepetal.”
"I was always going to come back. Always. The second she let another man’s hands, and mouth, anywhere near what’s mine, hell itself shoved the door open and begged me to walk through"-
A great ghoulish spooky smutty read featuring Finn and Salem, They were both born and raised in a cult where they both fall in love with each other but chaos awaits them as Finn sacrifices his life for Salem now after one year he is back. strong, primal and obsessive ready to claim what was his crawling back out from the depths of hell powerful than ever.
Overall the book was really nice, Nova kane didnt dissapoint with this short halloween spooky read. The spice was also good.
I don’t know if it’s just me but this book was a slow start, I liked the lore, the plot and the smut but something’s missing was maybe the pacing or the open ending didn’t hit my mark because I really enjoyed the novella.
Oh my freaking goodness this book was phenomenal!!! Who doesn’t like a dark MMC who is after his girl to punish. This one hooked me almost instantly and I couldn’t put it down. Finn and Salem kept me at the edge of my seat and made it impossible to sit back. It also pulled me out of a slump. Their story started out extremely difficult as Salem honestly thought she lost Finn, but she should have realized that it was not true. She never fully recovered from losing him and just went she tries to he comes back for her and boy is his revenge hot and spicy!!!
I’ll start off by saying that Nova Kane is one hell of a novella writer. Truly. She can pack so much into one novella it leaves me in awe. Her written imagery can literally make you feel wrapped up inside the story. Soooo goooood. However, it pains me to write this, but Bonepetal missed the mark for me. I didn’t get how in one breath Salem missed Finn so much and in the next she’s conflicted and “hating” him and his return. Saying how he’s changed so much from being in Hell.. that he’s not the same boy she fell in love with. Umm, ma’am… in the prologue we literally read how he annihilated the cult in front of you and gave his soul for you. You experienced and saw all that first hand. You’ve spent a year mourning his loss and wanting him. And then when he returns from the grave your tune has suddenly changed? Nah girl, he’s still that same man the last night you saw him and have been missing for a year.
Then I thought Finn lacked true depth. All he did was “stalk” here and lay down is vocal claims of how she was and will forever be his. Yes, he did unalive that cheating boyfriend of hers though. But that’s really all we saw. He wasn’t portrayed super dark or sinister. He just…was… flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
You don't own me. Say that again. Make it sound like you believe it.
Ummm...wow. I loved that.
She had me at 'The crow retelling.' This Halloween story was exactly what the doctor ordered. I read it in one go, because I had time and it was hard to put down. There's plenty of 🌶️ and Tr!gger warnings. All in all: definitely read it if you enjoy erotic horror.
In this story you'll find: 🖤Erotic Horror 🖤Crow re-telling 🖤Cult Sacrifice 🖤Touch her and 💀 🖤Obsessive & Possessive MMC 🖤Soul Exchange
ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ sᴀᴛ ғᴏʀ ғɪɴɴ! Nova nailed it, once again. The devotion is top tier, the obsession/dominance makes me thirsty. A man crawling back to you (literally) I mean come on how are you not swooning.
🕷️Salem is going through the motions each day when the 1 day anniversary of when she lost him is coming up. When she almost died but he sacrificed himself for her. She’s dealing with f*ck boys, social obligations, and school trying to put on a normal mask but deep down she isn’t completely whole.
𝕀 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕡 𝕖𝕕𝕘𝕖𝕤.
༒ Enter Finn, someone (f*ckboy) thought they could take what was his. So he is back with vengeance to claim what’s his, HER. He’s been tortured, isolated but her memory kept him going. And now he’s not leaving her again, until she remembers who she belongs to.
The spice is spicing, the paranormal is eerie, the little friendship moments are top tier. And the ending dropped my jaw and had me tapping my kindle for more. I binged this read in just 2 hours, & let me tell you my highlights and notes were FERAL.
➢ ᠻⅈꪀꪖꪶ 𝕥ꫝꪮꪊᧁꫝ𝕥𝘴: If you wanna journey in the dark as the veil is thinning and see some questionable things occur on an altar. Well, come on over baby. Nova has the read for you, add it to your TBR!
I love this book! Perfect, short spooky season read.
Loved the detailed, descriptive writing style and the haunted, Halloween feel of the story. The writing was giving creepy and poetic vibes at the same time and I absolutely loved it!
Finn was walking a red flag and he will literally kill for you, but who wouldn’t want a man who’s ready to crawl out of his own grave just to make sure you keep your vows and nobody else puts their hands on you. Loved him and he made his way high up in my top MMCs list.
Salem was a great FMC and I really liked her as a character. Finn saved her from being a sacrifice and now that Finn was back, she didn’t know how to feel. She lost him once already and that changed her as a person. You could really feel her grief and pain, and some of the things she said hit really close to home and I did relate to her. I loved how she was able to see the beauty in the unusual.
Loved the connection between Salem and Finn. And the little flashbacks to their shared past sprinkled throughout the book were great, like the one where Salem was reminiscing how Finn gave her the nickname, bonepetal. Also, Miles seemed like an amazing friend and I need someone like him in my life.
The ending!! And especially chapter 9, excuse me?! I need more like right now!
“She’s never looked more like sin dressed as salvation. Like something holy made out of ruin.” “The second she let another man’s hands, and mouth, anywhere near what’s mine, hell itself shoved the door open and begged me to walk through.” “I’m not the god who takes prayers. I’m the fucking thing that answers them.” “Anatomy is a language with slippery grammar. You learn the rules, then you make poetry.” “She thought it was mourning. Cute. It was worship, and she didn’t even fucking know it.” “You forgot who you belong to. You forgot who bled for you. Who died for you.” “You didn’t really think you could kill me, did you?”
Thank you, Nova, for letting me both beta and ARC read this book! 🖤 Beta & ARC reading didn’t affect my opinion of the book, and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
📖𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪📖 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Finn is my favorite Nova man to date. I think I fell in love with him instantly. He’s a 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴 🚩 and he was everything. He is 100% “If he wanted to, he would” kind of guy. Finn’s level of obsession with Salem knows no bounds. She made vows to him, which she has broken, and he’s here to make sure she doesn’t forget.
Salem, I really enjoyed her as a character. I felt so drawn to her. Not just her style (𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦) but to her personality. Salem is internally suffering and grieving and it felt like she was honestly just going through the day to day motions, trying to make it through. Fake it til you make it kinda gal. Salem was meant to be a sacrifice, and Finn saved her life. She’s now torn on her feelings in regards to Finn and who he was versus who he now is; and she’s not quite sure how to reconcile the two. I loved her.
This was the perfect spooky season vibes, I loved every minute of this read. Nova has a way of making these shorter reads not 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 short, and I love that. She packs so much into these pages, and I eat it up with a shovel every time.
Bonepetal is such a strong start to spooky season 👻 cemeteries, ravens, and a lover who literally claws his way back from the grave. 🥀
The story doesn’t waste time: we’re thrown straight into a ritual where our MC, Salem, is about to be sacrificed. And then enters Finn, who gives himself up in her place.
One sacrifice. One vow. One love that refuses to stay buried. 🩸
Salem swears she’ll never love anyone else, but of course… she breaks that vow. And yeah, the fallout? Brutal. A year later she’s trying to live like nothing happened, but Finn’s shadow follows her everywhere, and deep down she knows their story isn’t done.
Now here’s where I struggled a bit. I loved the characters, but Salem’s reactions sometimes felt odd to me 🤨. She loved Finn, right? And all he wanted was to get her back. He literally sacrificed himself for her. So her choices hit me as a little frustrating at times.
Is Finn a walking red flag? 🚩 Absolutely. Did I still fall for him completely? …Also absolutely.
But honestly? The tension, the gothic vibes, and Nova’s writing made me forget to breathe right along with Salem. 🌙 The atmosphere is dark, creative, and addictive. The worldbuilding, the pacing, the characters. It all just worked.
And the spice? 🌶️🔥 Let’s just say it was chef’s kiss. Balanced, haunting, and left me absolutely feral.
💀 I finished this book and immediately thought: okay Nova, when’s the sequel dropping? Because, as Finn would say… we’re not done.👀