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Unnamed Bones
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26Reckless, depressed, impulsive and sixteen, Harrow Lane is going to an island that shouldn’t exist to look for answers about the death of her father—the father who accidentally cursed her shortly after she was born. Things immediately go very wrong—beginning with the sinking of the boat that brought them to the island and an ominous chuckle from something that shouldn’t be there—and keep getting worse in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine. Harrow and friends came without being invited and whatever lives there doesn’t like visitors.
With no way to reach the outside world and no understanding of the rules of the island, Harrow and her friends are in mortal danger, and knowing who can and can’t be trusted is a thing they left back on shore. Matters are only complicated by Harrow’s emotions—she’s given her biggest feelings human faces and personalities and does her best to keep them locked away in a seedy motel she built in her mind. But emotions are sneaky, and she’s having to face them at the worst possible time. It’s creating sort of an “Inside Out in hell” situation as they fight for survival against a creature that seems to be made entirely of terror and who very well might spell the end of the world.
With no way to reach the outside world and no understanding of the rules of the island, Harrow and her friends are in mortal danger, and knowing who can and can’t be trusted is a thing they left back on shore. Matters are only complicated by Harrow’s emotions—she’s given her biggest feelings human faces and personalities and does her best to keep them locked away in a seedy motel she built in her mind. But emotions are sneaky, and she’s having to face them at the worst possible time. It’s creating sort of an “Inside Out in hell” situation as they fight for survival against a creature that seems to be made entirely of terror and who very well might spell the end of the world.
- GenresYoung Adult
Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 21, 2026
2 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Lora Senf
11 books270 followersHi, I'm Lora Senf!
I'm a reader and writer of dark and twisty stories for all ages. I owe my love of words to my parents and to the public library that was walking distance from my childhood home.
I find inspiration for my writing all over the place - from my kids' retellings of their dreams to road trips through Montana, and often in lonely buildings.
I love the reading and writing communities. I'm a member of Authors Guild and Horror Writers Association.
PENNIES - a Blight Harbor prequel - is coming September 23, 2025. I have a YA horror novel, UNNAMED BONES, coming out summer 2026 and more on the way.
I no longer review books, but I do yell about the books I love on social media - mostly Instagram.
I live in Washington State with my husband, our twins, and two cats who think they're people.
I'd love to hear from you! 🖤
I'm a reader and writer of dark and twisty stories for all ages. I owe my love of words to my parents and to the public library that was walking distance from my childhood home.
I find inspiration for my writing all over the place - from my kids' retellings of their dreams to road trips through Montana, and often in lonely buildings.
I love the reading and writing communities. I'm a member of Authors Guild and Horror Writers Association.
PENNIES - a Blight Harbor prequel - is coming September 23, 2025. I have a YA horror novel, UNNAMED BONES, coming out summer 2026 and more on the way.
I no longer review books, but I do yell about the books I love on social media - mostly Instagram.
I live in Washington State with my husband, our twins, and two cats who think they're people.
I'd love to hear from you! 🖤
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 8, 2026
(3.5 stars) Thank you to Union Square & Co. and NetGalley for this ARC!
Unnamed Bones is the YA story of 4 teens who take a day trip to a mysterious island near their town. Their relationships are already strained, but they eventually learn what friendship truly means.
This tale has a wonderful introduction to the characters. The story is told from the perspective of the MC, Harrow, and is refreshingly conversational! She is matter of fact in expressing her feelings and experiences, but she’s not obnoxious. One of my favorite parts of this novel is the way the author creatively explores Harrow’s emotions. They are characters with as much depth and interest as every other character it the book without overloading the cast.
The action unfolds pretty quickly, and I didn’t feel as though I was rushing through the story to get to “something happening”. The story flows along at a comfortable pace and ratchets up the tension or excitement as needed. Towards the end, however, the setting and content gets a little “heady” (in a philosophical way) which seems a bit too deep. As long as you just “go with the flow” and stay in the story, it’s not too off-putting.
Ultimately, this is a solid YA novel that approaches serious themes of friendship, pain, loss, and fear with grace and a bit of humor. YA isn’t my normal genre, but I definitely would recommend it to any thriller fan.
Unnamed Bones is the YA story of 4 teens who take a day trip to a mysterious island near their town. Their relationships are already strained, but they eventually learn what friendship truly means.
This tale has a wonderful introduction to the characters. The story is told from the perspective of the MC, Harrow, and is refreshingly conversational! She is matter of fact in expressing her feelings and experiences, but she’s not obnoxious. One of my favorite parts of this novel is the way the author creatively explores Harrow’s emotions. They are characters with as much depth and interest as every other character it the book without overloading the cast.
The action unfolds pretty quickly, and I didn’t feel as though I was rushing through the story to get to “something happening”. The story flows along at a comfortable pace and ratchets up the tension or excitement as needed. Towards the end, however, the setting and content gets a little “heady” (in a philosophical way) which seems a bit too deep. As long as you just “go with the flow” and stay in the story, it’s not too off-putting.
Ultimately, this is a solid YA novel that approaches serious themes of friendship, pain, loss, and fear with grace and a bit of humor. YA isn’t my normal genre, but I definitely would recommend it to any thriller fan.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Unnamed Bones” by Lora Senf is a YA horror story that leans hard into body horror, psychological terror, and metaphor. Senf delivers a story that feels less like a traditional survival tale and more like being trapped inside a nightmare, one that’s as much about grief and self-destruction as it is about monsters. Before diving into the book, I recommend looking into the content warnings as there is some body horror as well as suicide described in the book.
Sixteen-year-old Harrow Lane is reckless, depressed, and driven by unanswered questions surrounding her father’s death. Her search for answers leads her to an island and valley that simply appeared one day, with no scientific explanation and no apparent oversight. You will need to suspend disbelief here; the premise works best when accepted as inherently supernatural rather than realistic. From the moment Harrow and her friends arrive, the island makes it clear they are not welcome. Their boat sinks, technology fails, and something unseen laughs in the darkness.
The island itself feels alive; it’s somehow warping reality, altering bodies, and tormenting its visitors as if it feeds on fear and pain. Graphic body horror and disturbing transformations make it clear this is not a lighter YA read, and the included content warnings for gore and self-harm are well warranted. The horror escalates into something deeply surreal, involving alternate dimensions, supernatural entities, and a godlike presence controlling the island. Nothing behaves logically, and that disorientation is very much the point.
One of the story’s most striking elements is Harrow’s internal world. She copes with her emotions by anthropomorphizing them; she gives her feelings human forms and locks them away in a grimy motel inside her mind. This “Inside Out in hell” approach is unusual, occasionally confusing, but ultimately powerful. As the island forces her to confront grief, guilt, and rage, the boundaries between her inner world and the external horror begin to blur. What once helped her survive may also be the key to saving her or destroying her.
Despite the bleakness, the book isn’t without warmth. Harrow’s friendships, especially with her best friend and the genuinely kind, grounding Shane, provide moments of light and humanity amid the chaos. These relationships keep the story from becoming unbearably heavy and reinforce the story’s underlying themes of connection and hope.
At its core, “Unnamed Bones” reads like an extended metaphor for facing buried emotions and choosing to keep going even when survival feels impossible. The ending is bittersweet; it’s marked by loss, but also a quiet, hard-earned victory that suggests healing doesn’t mean erasing pain, only learning to live with it.
Overall, “Unnamed Bones” is a haunting exploration of grief, fear, and resilience. This book is best suited for older YA readers who appreciate surreal horror, intense body horror, and stories that linger long after the final page.
“Unnamed Bones” by Lora Senf is a YA horror story that leans hard into body horror, psychological terror, and metaphor. Senf delivers a story that feels less like a traditional survival tale and more like being trapped inside a nightmare, one that’s as much about grief and self-destruction as it is about monsters. Before diving into the book, I recommend looking into the content warnings as there is some body horror as well as suicide described in the book.
Sixteen-year-old Harrow Lane is reckless, depressed, and driven by unanswered questions surrounding her father’s death. Her search for answers leads her to an island and valley that simply appeared one day, with no scientific explanation and no apparent oversight. You will need to suspend disbelief here; the premise works best when accepted as inherently supernatural rather than realistic. From the moment Harrow and her friends arrive, the island makes it clear they are not welcome. Their boat sinks, technology fails, and something unseen laughs in the darkness.
The island itself feels alive; it’s somehow warping reality, altering bodies, and tormenting its visitors as if it feeds on fear and pain. Graphic body horror and disturbing transformations make it clear this is not a lighter YA read, and the included content warnings for gore and self-harm are well warranted. The horror escalates into something deeply surreal, involving alternate dimensions, supernatural entities, and a godlike presence controlling the island. Nothing behaves logically, and that disorientation is very much the point.
One of the story’s most striking elements is Harrow’s internal world. She copes with her emotions by anthropomorphizing them; she gives her feelings human forms and locks them away in a grimy motel inside her mind. This “Inside Out in hell” approach is unusual, occasionally confusing, but ultimately powerful. As the island forces her to confront grief, guilt, and rage, the boundaries between her inner world and the external horror begin to blur. What once helped her survive may also be the key to saving her or destroying her.
Despite the bleakness, the book isn’t without warmth. Harrow’s friendships, especially with her best friend and the genuinely kind, grounding Shane, provide moments of light and humanity amid the chaos. These relationships keep the story from becoming unbearably heavy and reinforce the story’s underlying themes of connection and hope.
At its core, “Unnamed Bones” reads like an extended metaphor for facing buried emotions and choosing to keep going even when survival feels impossible. The ending is bittersweet; it’s marked by loss, but also a quiet, hard-earned victory that suggests healing doesn’t mean erasing pain, only learning to live with it.
Overall, “Unnamed Bones” is a haunting exploration of grief, fear, and resilience. This book is best suited for older YA readers who appreciate surreal horror, intense body horror, and stories that linger long after the final page.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow talk about a mystery. At first, I was really confused on what exactly was going on but then it just clicked and I was like ohhhhh. The book is about Harrow who has a mental hotel in her head with all of her emotions. Who goes on an adventure with her 3 friends to explore a mysterious island that seems to have magically appeared out of know where, and her dad just so happened to have disappeared from. Harrow and her 3 friends guilt trip Harrows uncle Tim into taking them to the island via boat. Against her uncles' better judgment. They get to the island and definitely are not prepared for the adventure they end up having. The moment they arrive on the island Tragedy strikes. The book is full of twist and turns and full of excitement. Harrow not only has to fight her friends but an island that seems to be alive and possessed, but the internal fight with all of her emotions staying rent free in her head as well. The story may not have the feel-good happy ending but it definitely ends the way it should. would highly recommend.
April 14, 2026
Unnamed Bones is a dark, twisted, metaphysical story that had my full attention from the beginning.
Harrow has had a hard time with the disappearance of her father Tim. He simply vanished on the lake, and now there is a strange island that appeared. The whole town of Seekers’ Rest is strange. Disappearances, strange occurrences, and an overall weird feel to the town. Those that live there have become somewhat used to it.
Harrow has decided to visit that weird island and three of her friends came along. Mike, her friend and second dad, warned her against the trip, but took them there on his boat despite his misgivings. As soon as he dropped them off, the insanity began.
Harrow has learned to keep her emotions in a unique way that may eventually help her or harm her.
This book was an amazingly imaginative work and a rollercoaster ride to the end. This is the first book I have read by author Lora Senf, but I will certainly be looking for more.
Harrow has had a hard time with the disappearance of her father Tim. He simply vanished on the lake, and now there is a strange island that appeared. The whole town of Seekers’ Rest is strange. Disappearances, strange occurrences, and an overall weird feel to the town. Those that live there have become somewhat used to it.
Harrow has decided to visit that weird island and three of her friends came along. Mike, her friend and second dad, warned her against the trip, but took them there on his boat despite his misgivings. As soon as he dropped them off, the insanity began.
Harrow has learned to keep her emotions in a unique way that may eventually help her or harm her.
This book was an amazingly imaginative work and a rollercoaster ride to the end. This is the first book I have read by author Lora Senf, but I will certainly be looking for more.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A strange island, a group of teens, what could go wrong?
Harrow, a depressed teen, has many reasons to stay away from the lake and the strange island that seemed to appear overnight, not least of all because it killed her Father. But on impulse, she had decided to go, and three friends had decided to tag along; she had no choice but to stick to her plans. But once they are on the strange shores of the island, things start to go very wrong. Stranded, they need to find a way to stay alive and try to find a way off the island.
But something has other ideas, and it will soon come to a battle of wills.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Harrow and the way her mental issues are represented, which, of course, only adds to the creepiness and atmosphere of the situation. With no idea what is going to happen next, it is a page turner, and no mistake.
Harrow, a depressed teen, has many reasons to stay away from the lake and the strange island that seemed to appear overnight, not least of all because it killed her Father. But on impulse, she had decided to go, and three friends had decided to tag along; she had no choice but to stick to her plans. But once they are on the strange shores of the island, things start to go very wrong. Stranded, they need to find a way to stay alive and try to find a way off the island.
But something has other ideas, and it will soon come to a battle of wills.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Harrow and the way her mental issues are represented, which, of course, only adds to the creepiness and atmosphere of the situation. With no idea what is going to happen next, it is a page turner, and no mistake.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
I’m not sure what to think of this story. It took me on a journey and not the one I was expecting. I assumed from the description this would be a more run of the mill horror novel. But it’s definitely more of a psychological one than anything else. It’s reminiscent of a fever dream. The action kicks off fairly quick and the island is more deadly than I expected. It’s a survival story, Harrow has to face her worst emotions and fears. It’s laced with blood and gore. It’s one that sticks with you.
( Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review)
March 12, 2026
thank you for the arc netgalley!
LOVED! was addictive and kept me wanting to read, i really enjoyed it. the horror aspects were so well done but also the more heartwarming moments, it was so so intriguing, honoured to have gotten an arc and will deffo be getting a physical copy when released! made me tear up at some points from the heartfelt moments and also wince from some of the horror aspects because they were done so well! favourite books i’ve read so far this year i think!
LOVED! was addictive and kept me wanting to read, i really enjoyed it. the horror aspects were so well done but also the more heartwarming moments, it was so so intriguing, honoured to have gotten an arc and will deffo be getting a physical copy when released! made me tear up at some points from the heartfelt moments and also wince from some of the horror aspects because they were done so well! favourite books i’ve read so far this year i think!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
this was so weird but like… in a good way??
the island is creepy, the vibes are off the entire time, and some scenes were actually gross/unsettling. but the coolest part was how her emotions are actual characters - so creative.
a bit confusing at times but once it clicks it’s really good.
not a happy read, but i enjoyed it 🖤
the island is creepy, the vibes are off the entire time, and some scenes were actually gross/unsettling. but the coolest part was how her emotions are actual characters - so creative.
a bit confusing at times but once it clicks it’s really good.
not a happy read, but i enjoyed it 🖤
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Well let me begin by stating this is NOT a light read at all in any shape or form and content warnings absolutely should be read and heeded!!! This book is graphic and disturbing in some elements as it explores themes of grief, trauma, self-harm, hatred, and a myriad of other serious and heavy emotions. It is a supernatural book without explanations as to how things happen but ultimately it can be viewed as a horrific look inside a mind unraveled by grief, trauma and unanswered questions.
Harrow is our FMC and in her we see the emotions behind this book. I could not help but think about a Christian book series that explored the ideas of the heart and mind being like houses and rooms, corridors and doors. Harrow gives her emotions a physical form them locks them away in a nasty motel.
This book deals with hard themes and graphic content. Please read the content warnings before proceeding and IF you so choose to begin the reading journey lock yourself in for a horrific ride that will haunts you even after you put the book away. And......because of the writing style and nature of this book be forewarned it may be difficult to place a bookmark and walk away unfinished.
Harrow is our FMC and in her we see the emotions behind this book. I could not help but think about a Christian book series that explored the ideas of the heart and mind being like houses and rooms, corridors and doors. Harrow gives her emotions a physical form them locks them away in a nasty motel.
This book deals with hard themes and graphic content. Please read the content warnings before proceeding and IF you so choose to begin the reading journey lock yourself in for a horrific ride that will haunts you even after you put the book away. And......because of the writing style and nature of this book be forewarned it may be difficult to place a bookmark and walk away unfinished.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
RTC closer to pub date.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews