Tallow and Bone

by Rhiannon Hargadon

If Salem would rather kill witches than let them exist, how much will one witch sacrifice to save it?

After her family flees allegations of treason in Europe, Amity Merriweather hopes Salem will be a fresh start. Instead, she finds a land poisoned: Toxic relationships. Crop failures. Sick children. Deep-seated superstition and irrational fear. With every death, the curse buried beneath Salem's cobblestone streets grows stronger.

Gifted with rare earth magic, Amity has spent her entire life hiding, suppressing her magic. She has a chance to heal the town before hysteria turns neighbor against neighbor. But Salem doesn't want saving. Every acre of poison she clears will risk discovery, and she'll get no thanks from its citizens.

Meanwhile, Amity must choose between two very different men:

A male witch hardened by abuse, who would gladly burn Salem to its poisoned roots... Or a scarred shoemaker with a heart too generous for its own good. Knowing which path to take requires knowing both men, but more importantly, it requires knowing herself.

Amity has worn as mask for so long, she no longer can be sure of who she truly is.

As accusations mount and innocents are dragged to the gallows, Amity faces an impossible choice. Keep sacrificing herself for people who would rather see her burn—or abandon Salem to the curse consuming it.

Tropes and Triggers:

Love Triangle with a masked MMC
Surprise (unwanted) pregnancy
Elemental magic
Generational curse
Witch Trials
Religious Trauma
Morally gray characters

TALLOW AND BONE is a dark paranormal romance. It is a retelling of the Salem Witch Trials with a healer witch, a cursed village, and the choice between mercy or retribution.

Genres: Romantasy, Fantasy, Witches, Dark Romance, Paranormal, Retellings, Romance

696 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2026

About the author

There was a willow I loved by a creek; sometimes I slept there. I was never afraid, alone in the dark. There was nothing to fear from water and trees and fairytales.

The real monsters were always people.

...

Can we forgive injustice?
Do we accept the fate forced upon us?
Should we fight, no matter the cost?
How do we move on from great loss?
What would you trade to relive one moment?


I write folklore and mythology inspired dark fantasy. Emphasis on dark. I don't shy away from serious issues and emotions: suicide, depression, mental illness, abuse, death, infertility, and assault are all in my books. These are not for pleasure or shock value, but because I want to write about authentic pain and suffering, and how we heal ourselves through the bad things that have been done to us.


My books will probably make you cry. I hope it helps more than it harms.




Official Site: https://www.rhiannonhargadon.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhiannonhar...
Email: hello AT rhiannonhargadon.com
Tiktok: rhiannonhargadon
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rhian...

Thanks for reading.

Reviews

[v (hiatus)]

really conflicted about this. idk what to think. george deserved better- that ikfs. on one hand i want to give this 4 stars but atst i want to give it 0.5 stars cs most of the time the characters pmo sooo bad omg i wanted to yeet this book across the room. yk i liked the author note more than i liked the whole entire book. 5 stars for that alone. help i'm so indecisive but ykw uhm i'll just sleep on it.
full rtc <3

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I was going to love Tallow and Bone, but I don't think I could ever have prepared myself all the ways it would break me. Going in you know it's a Salem Witch Trials retelling and you know it's Rhi - one of the things I love about her writing is that she doesn't shy away from the difficult topics, the ones that make people sit in an uncomfortable and awkward silence when someone dares voice them. Those avoided because it's easier to ignore than it is to challenge the taboos around them. So beware all ye who enter here: at it's core, this book was always going to be a tragedy. The delivery is subtle at first, until it hits you like a hammer blow and cleaves your heart wide open. You've been warned.

Amity is our FMC, and as with all of Rhiannon's FMCs, I loved her from the moment we begin her story, as she flees from those hunting her and her family for her witchcraft. 15 years ago, I probably would have hated her. Her naivety and the consequences for it, were my own once upon a time. I've found as I've got older, that a lot of things I often disliked were because they reflected something I didn't like in myself. That's what I love about her. Amity is flawed and she's messy and she's real. She's got such an inner fire, but has been taught to try and supress it at the cost of losing a part of herself. She wants to be loved and lead a normal life, but also longs for the freedom to be herself and be accepted as a witch.

The love triangle between herself, the witch and George is one of the best I've ever read. The male witch is desire and risk and lust and everything Amity believes she wants because he's another witch and therefore her happy ending lies with him. But he's emotionally unavailable, cruel and detached with some serious baggage. And then there's George. Beautiful, kind, honest George. A good man that offers Amity protection and a shield from the hysteria consuming Salem. They agreed to marry, not to love each other and Amity struggles to trust her new found protection with George, let alone trust him with her heart.

Tallow and Bone is another heart wrenching work of art from Rhiannon. It explores many difficult topics such as PPD and of course, draws on one of the most brutal eras of oppression for women and the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials where so many innocent people lost their lives due to hysteria, religion, greed and misogyny that saw neighbour turn against neighbour. It explores religious trauma and abuse that seeds hatred so potent it becomes toxic for those that can't let go of it. But it also portrays the beauty of friendship found in unlikely places, and the loyalty and deep bonds between siblings. But above all, it showcases that the raw power of love, even when found in the most unexpected circumstances, cannot be broken when you finally find the courage to accept yourself and bare your soul to another. Because you might find, that they had accepted you, your flaws and your doubts, and your joys and your truths, a long time ago.

[RedFireLady Reads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Tallow and Bone is a masterpiece that deserves every single bit of these 4.5 stars. It's a haunting and dark tale of love, family, sacrifice, and trust, that is messy, complicated, raw and real, and is an absolute must read experience for anyone that loves a complex love story. I am going to be thinking about this book for a very long time.

-- “Whatever you do, don’t give up. Don’t let them take your wildness. And if you ever doubt, even for an instant, know this: you are my heart and soul, my blood and tallow and bone. Nothing and no one will ever make you less.” --

4.5 brilliant, shining ⭐️
3🌶

What's inside:
- Standalone Dark Romantasy
- Salem Witch Trials Retelling
- Love Triangle
- Fated Mates
- Masked MMC
- Postpartum Rep
- Emotional Devestation
- Elemental Magic
- Friends to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- One Horse
- Scarred Hero

Rhiannon Hargadon just became my newest favorite author. I haven't read Bloody Black or any of her other books, this was my first of hers, but after experiencing this amazing and gripping dark love story I will absolutely be reading more from her, very soon.

This book does start a bit slow, there is a lot of character and world building at the beginning that is necessary to setup this story. Trust me, KEEP GOING. I honestly don't have the words to express how well-written and amazing this book is. The way she addresses love and sacrifice, the way she highlights Postpartum depression and women's issues, its done in a dark and haunting way that left me staring at the wall when it was all said and done. The story is very well planned and executed, and it brought me to tears more than once.

Rhiannon did an amazing job of weaving a very complex character in Amity, the FMC. She is so very gut- wrenchingly real that I think any woman will be able to identify with at least some part of her - her struggle to make herself smaller to fit into the expectations of society, her repeated sacrifice for her family, the way she loves a man she knows she shouldn't and yet is conflicted trying to love the man she knows she should. This is an absolutely epic story of a woman who tries to do what is right and yet seems damned for every choice that she makes.

-- There is no justice in the world. Evil men do what they will, and we women must simply hope to survive it. --

I feel so very fortunate to have had the opportunity to read this book early and tell you about it. This is one that I will be recommending over and over and I cannot express enough how much you should read this book. If you liked The Heartstring Duet, Souls in Ruin, Under Your Scars, or Wrecked - this one is for you

Thank you to Rhiannon Hargood for an eARC of Tallow and Bone. You have earned a new fan and I will be telling everyone to read this hauntingly raw masterpiece.

[Books &Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tallow and Bone is a haunting and deeply emotional retelling of the Salem witch trials that blends historical fact with fiction. This is not a fluffy, feel-good romance. It is messy, complicated, raw, and at times incredibly heartbreaking.

The pacing was a little slow for me in the beginning, but it steadily picked up as the story progressed. Looking back, though, I think much of that slower pacing was necessary. It gave us the time to truly understand the characters, their motivations, and the circumstances surrounding them, while also allowing the horrors of the Salem witch trials to unfold in a way that felt devastatingly real.

The characters are deeply flawed, and they make some incredibly questionable decisions. But that complexity is part of what made them feel so human. This story broke my heart, stitched it back together, and then broke it all over again.

I also have to admit that this book completely changed my mind about love triangles. I don’t typically enjoy them, but I genuinely loved both men equally… just in very different ways. The relationships were complicated, but the love at the heart of this story was beautiful.

As a mother who has experienced postpartum depression, I found Amity’s experience especially relatable. I thought the author handled this sensitive subject matter with a great deal of care and portrayed her experience in a way that felt honest and authentic. It was one of the aspects of the story that resonated with me most deeply.

Read this book if you want: a historical fantasy that doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of its story, morally complicated characters, messy relationships, emotional devastation, and a romance that is both beautiful and complicated.

And yes, there is also some seriously good spice… including a masked man!

But go into this one knowing that it isn’t an easy or fluffy read. It is raw. It is heartbreaking. It is sometimes uncomfortable. And for me, that’s exactly what made it so memorable.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes ✨:
Historical Fantasy
Witchcraft
Elemental Magic
Masked MMC
Scarred Hero
Love triangle
Morally Gray Characters

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Marie C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author and her team for having me as an ARC reader!

Tallow and Bone was sadly not for me. I liked the general story, it really had potential for me, but there are a lot of things that I didn't like too. The last 10% of the book were really great though, but considering the length of the book, that makes a lot of pages were I was bored or hate-reading, sadly.

I find that this book was wrongly advertised, especially with the tropes. It's not a slow burn. The attraction between characters is everything but slow, and there was barely any tension between characters. I also disagree with "family is everything", when half the family is awful or don't care for the other. It's also not a friends to lovers, that would require friends to begin with. And lover is also to take in the general sense, I found that there is no real love story before the 70% mark.

George and Harriet are my favourite characters, I absolutely loved them, and that ending made me ache and cry for them. That part was well written.

Then about the things that I disliked:
- There are a lot of plot holes, timeline holes, and inconsistencies in general in the book. It may be because I read the ARC, but even then, it feels like it's too much.
- This book has cheating, it's something that wasn't written when I requested the ARC. Had I known, I wouldn't have applied,
- I can't stand the FMC nor one of the MMC. All things considered they are well suited because I find that both are awful people.

Here are two of my favourite quotes, which describe each one of the main characters, and perfectly summarise them I think:
🕯️ The FMC: "No one is so stupid, so stubborn, [...]. Utterly detestable and inadequate."
🕯️ The masked MMC: " "That I was a fool. And a coward." "And a liar and an idiot," I add."

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

♡⊹˚₊ ARC Review ₊˚⊹♡

Opinions and comments are completely my own.


There are some spoilers in this review and I've hidden the major ones but some aren't, tread with caution!!

I cannot believe what I just read. This was the longest book I have read this year and probably one of the worst. Truthfully, the marketing for this book gave it a lot of disservice. My expectations were pretty high considering all the good things I've heard about this author everywhere and when she announced a Salem Witch retelling standalone, I was immediately intrigued. On top of that, the advertising of the tropes ruined a lot of the book for me. The claim of a masked MMC and Hidden Identity is completely ruined by the fact that the author's account openly announces the identity of the witch on every other post (his reveal would have been a crazy plot twist if I didn't know). The claim of a love triangle was worse. This book is NOT a love triangle, it's a WHYCHOOSE at best and CHEATING at worst. In fact, the cheating should be disclosed at the beginning, so I didn't waste my time with it (I'll get into this a little later). When you market a book as a love triangle, don't tell the readers who your FMC is gonna end up with. The love triangle becomes pointless at that point, because we know the other love interest has no chance. Basically, most of the important parts of the book were spoiled by the marketing before I even experienced it.

Now, onto the actual book. The beginning was okay and I actually enjoyed the setting and the family dynamics. At that point I was looking forward to my reading sessions. Amity was a little annoying at times but I didn't want to strangle her as I will want later on. My only complaint was this thought process: "If only we had all been born ugly. That would have been magnificent." There is so much wrong with these two sentences. She frames this like being born pretty is a disadvantage and maybe for her (a witch trying to hide) it is. But the amount of times she complains about her natural beauty and then goes and uses it to get what she wants by seducing people left and right is astounding. It's hypocritical and I would be okay with it as a flaw if she didn't have more flaws than merits. I do not believe the author's intention is to make Amity unlikable but that's what she did in this book.

Unfortunately, as the book progressed, so many issues resurfaced. The pacing was all over the place from slow to too fast, with time skips that were hard to keep up with and acknowledge. The plot was also all over the place with so many plot points abandoned and never explained, character motivations practically non-existent, even some character assassinations toward the end with behaviour that didn't align consistently (namely George).

The major issue was Amity. Her motivations at first were to avenge her mother which we promptly abandoned to do the exact opposite: save the town she wanted to destroy. She kept chasing a man she claimed to love because she believed they were fated and was always upset when he rejected her despite him making it very clear he didn't want commitment from the start. It would've been funny it wasn't so embarrassing.

Her relationship with George was even weirder: she didn't want the marriage; claimed it was on paper; proceeded to ask him if he loved her and got upset when he didn't answer; always pointed out his scars as ugly and terrifying; proceeded to fuck him on a daily basis and be surprised that she got pregnant; proceeded to claim she didn't want the baby and do nothing to get rid of it; have a difficult birth and be cured by a good fuck; then she somehow loved him for a bit only to change her mind, and then love him so much that she never got over him at the end.

In the middle of all that she cheated on George. There's no confusion about what happened. She got jealous of other women who didn't even flirt with her husband but then proceeded to full on cheat and act like a victim when George was upset with her for it. Not ONLY did she cheat on her husband (as if I needed more reasons to dislike this book), she decided that the proper way to cheat on your husband is ask your lover to PRETEND to rape you...so you wouldn't feel guilty about it. I am appalled.

I've come to the conclusion that Amity's sole motivation was to have sex (didn't really matter with who) because the only time she seemed remotely happy was when she was getting it on with one of them regularly.

Frankly the only positive part about this whole book beyond the setup was George and his animals. George was the best character from the start and what happened to him was not tragic but unfair. Amity used that man in every way and then went off to have the happy ending she never deserved. And the author somehow tried to justify his end by saying that he knew everything and loved her, so he chose that path for himself. I only continued reading because I wanted to see what happened to George at the end and I was thoroughly disappointed by everything.

I'm not going to talk about Steadfast because he was a red flag at every turn and it wasn't even the good type of red flag that we like to see in books.

There was so much potential in this story, if only she focused on the family dynamics more; deleted Steadfast from the equation completely; and made Amity a smidge more likable and loyal. I would've ate that up. That would've been tragic and beautiful and healing. In its current form, it's messy and infuriating.

Genuinely, for anyone who rated this above 3 stars, I have no idea how you read these lines and still made that decision (spoilers ahead):

"I may not love him, but I am obsessed with fucking him." - literally her about her kind husband

"I want him to pound into me, repeatedly, the way he once did. This game, where I say no, and he forces it… that’s the only path we have." - her pretending to be raped so she can cheat on her husband

"Unbidden, I think of his lips, of his thinning blonde hair. The idea of him touching me is completely repugnant, but I will do it. I will have sex with him in the center of the chapel, if it would keep me off the gallows." - literally her lover's father and the man she hates the most


Overall, if you hate cheating in books, I beg you to not pick this up. Read something else. If you want a love story, read something else. If you like infuriating characters, this might be for you...maybe.

[Brenda Stokvis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe 1,5 ⭐
After her family flees allegations of treason in Europe, Amity hopes Salem will be a fresh start. Instead, she finds a land poisoned. She has a chance to heal the town before hysteria turns neighbor against neighbor. As accusations mount and innocents are dragged to the gallows, Amity faces an impossible choice. Save herself or sacrifice herself.
I have to be fair, this turned into a hate-read at some point, that has definitely influenced my rating and I should have DNFed. This book needs MAJOR editing, lots of cutting of unnecessary parts and filtering out loads of inconsistencies.
-SPOILERS AHEAD-
This book is sloooooow, it's not like things aren't happening but most of it is irrelevant to the plot. There is the moment with the creepy reverend, he wants to see Amity again next Sunday. That never happened? This could have been a real predatory situation, but it never feels that way and fizzles out.
Amity needs the blood and beak of a chicken for a spell. She takes a golden knife, gifted to her father by the King of England, to do it. Why? There was absolutely no reason she couldn't have taken a regular kitchen knife. She then loses the knife and I thought that would have consequences, none whatsoever. What was then the point of mentioning this expensive golden knife? Besides me thinking that this family is poor and should have sold it to create a better life for themselves.
Moments of unbottuned shirts, to fumbling with buttons a few pages later or tightening his grip on her when they were not touching moments ago, because she didn't want him to touch her and was keeping her distance. I could go on and on really. What really sealed the deal for me is when Amity is pregnant, doesn't want the baby and is showing clear signs of post partum depression, that this storyline, which could have been amazing and healing, is solved by her having a good shag? Come onnnn! So infuriating!
I did not like the fmc Amity and one of the mmc's Steadfast. Amity had hardly any growth and made constant stupid decisions. Steadfast is not just a red flag, he is the loudest tornado warning you can imagine. You cannot convince me this man is capable of love. George is literally the only character I liked, justice for George!
The ending was OK, probably the only part where it got interesting. For a book that is supposed to be about the Salem witch trials, there is surprisingly little about those witch trials. I'm sad about George, that was a heartbreaking moment, and I hate Stead with a passion.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

WTF

As an Avid RH reader this book was a huge disappointment.
Amity was a ville horror, and the "Male witch"...don't get me started on him.

This could have been amazing because of George- we could have had our own little Pride & Predujice Witch trials, but instead we got this amityville horror.

Outside for George and Harriet, none of the characters are likeable. They are deplorable.


Fucking steadfast. like seriously- what in the fucking weird playboy incel behavior is happening with him? He doesnt want to settle, wants to fuck around, found the ONLY person he was able to even touch, but said nah, Ill fuck you on your wedding day because I told my BFF to marry you and I want to spoil the mood. And then he disappears, comes back and what in tarnation?!?!?!?!? And Amity - I get it, suffering from post partum depression. But like girl, you knew you were pregnant and literally never tried to do anything to no be pregnant. You could have, but chose not to, then had some issues, then played jealous before literally being totally fine sleeping with his best friend?

[bookrat_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully heartbreaking retelling of The Salem Witch Trials with a love triangle twist.
This story had struggle, tragedy, heartbreak, denial, acceptance, and some healing.

Amity is a witch with hidden powers. Her whole life has been a game of pretending to be a normal Puritan girl. A game that she has never won at. Uncontrollable power has led to a life of being on the run with her family. Arriving in Salem, once again tragedy has struck and lives are lost.
Upon arrival it becomes apparent Salem is cursed. Crops are not growing, people are sick, and everything is dying. Amity sets out to help, to learn, and to be able to control her powers. With the help of three other witches, a mother daughter and a masked male witch, Amity explores her powers.
She soon finds herself navigating this new town where women are damned for being different, unwed and even outspoken.
Amity ends up in a love triangle with the male masked witch and the local burn scarred hero. These two men are like night and day. One is steady, the perfect man to start a family with, a true gentleman. The other is arrogant, wreckless and the ultimate forbidden fruit. We end up with wild, steamy chemistry with both men. Great banter and tension all the way around.

Fighting for her life, the life of her new child, and the people she loves makes for an emotionally damaging book. Even with all the heartache and pain, the author did a good job giving us a beautiful healing happily ever after.

Thank you to Rhiannon Hargadon for the opportunity to read and review this early copy of Tallow and Bone. Another great story!

[Terri McCarrell · Rating 1.75 out of 5]

This is a difficult review for me to write. Hargadon’s last book, Bloody Black, was one of my top reads of 2025. And the premise for this book had me absolutely lathered. Unfortunately, it didn’t really deliver for me. The characters aren’t very compelling or likeable, some of the side characters take wild leaps in your perception of them, which felt very odd and pulled me out of the story. It rambled on a lot, and I would keep looking at my progression and be stunned how much left in the book there was. It felt like I had been reading it forever.
About two-thirds way through the book we randomly jump forward nine months in the story (which there had been no lurches in time progression to that point). It was very odd and for a story that had been dragging, suddenly felt like it was yanking forward rapidly.

For me, the FMC simply wasn’t very likeable, and she should have been. The same goes for the male witch MMC. It was hard to root for either of them, despite them having backstories that should have made them incredible characters.

The last 25% of the book was the best parts of the book and had some interesting twists. Ultimately, I would have liked about 200 less pages to arrive where we did, and I wish I could have liked the characters more. I am so grateful to the author for the opportunity to read this book in advance, and I truly look forward to whatever she writes next.

[Heather Becht (fantasyromantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴. 𝘈 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘔𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦. 𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘔𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮."

Hello spooky season, Tallow & Bone is here and it is the PERFECT Salem Witch Trials Retelling addition to your fall tbr. The way that I SOBBED while reading this book… It gave me ALL the feels. This book doesn’t have light themes, and make sure to read the triggers but WOW I got sucked into this story.

Amity is complex and her methods might seem to be immoral, but she is also layered and her story is tragic. The characters were SO interesting and the dynamics between them all were very complex and messy. Without giving too much away, I absolutely was shocked by some of the outcomes of this book and it takes a lot to surprise me.

This story was heartbreaking and layered with heavy themes of morality. If you’re looking for a cushy love story, this probably isn’t for you. I absolutely recommend this book to readers who want to feel and who enjoy reading out of the box stories. Rhiannon isn’t afraid to touch on the dark, and I absolutely love her writing.

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙨:
Dark Fantasy Standalone
Witchy Vibes & Elemental Magic
Surprise (Unwanted) Pregnancy
Love Triangle w/ a Masked MMC
Generational Curse
Witch Trials
Religious Trauma
Morally Gray MCs
Postpartum Rep
Forced Proximity

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭, 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴."

[Tara Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tallow and Bone was not what I was expected. I truly loved Bloody Black with my entire heart and soul, but had a really hard time connecting with this book.

It’s entirely possible that it’s the subject matter. The absolutely vile and repugnant manner in which people fed paranoia in order to get away with disgusting and immoral behavior during the Salem witch trials. It could be the general treatment of women during that time period, or the creepiness of a rot and plague infecting the people of Salem. All of this was really well done. It made my skin crawl, as it should.

Unfortunately I had a hard time connecting with these characters. Even the devoted green flag MMC didn’t cut the mustard in a way that resonated. Maybe I really and honestly do not like a love triangle, or riding a moral line that leans towards infidelity. Actually I know that I don’t.

I’m so glad that the writing is landing for other readers and I’m so bummed that it didn’t work for me. I’ll still read anything coming from this author, and am so appreciative of the opportunity to read this as an arc.

[Romie (romesreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

dear lord i was not ready to be emotionally destroyed by this book

this was a raw and heartbreaking salem witch trials retelling with a tragic love story at the centre

rhiannon really is an absolute master of her craft, she creates such a vivid atmosphere of salem and the hysteria surrounding witchcraft - I was lucky enough to read this just before a trip to salem and reading about all the consistencies with the history made it even more devastating

the themes of love and sacrifice were gut wrenching and bittersweet, this book felt like getting hit by wave after wave of anguish and yet I couldn’t put it down

did I finish this book or did this book finish me ??? tallow and bone has imprinted on my brain and I don’t know how I’m meant to move on from it tbh

i urge everyone to pick this one up, it’s phenomenal

(please be mindful of triggers as this is quite a dark one)

[Erin the.gremlin.reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so badly wanted to love Tallow and Bone by Rhiannon Hargadon but, unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. I think the kinder thing would have been to DNF. Instead, I transformed into Michael Scott and Tallow became my Toby.

I may not be a historian but I am a New Englander and this felt like a woefully fumbled Salem Witch Trials retelling. It drew too much from surface level recorded history while cherry picking aspects of Puritan society & Colonial New England culture to use as a thematic backdrop, which often felt incomplete, inaccurate and underwhelming.

The characters themselves lacked depth and often acted in ways that were counterintuitive, counterproductive and confusing. Family dynamics and romantic elements felt nonsensical. Do I think other readers will harbor an overwhelmingly negative visceral reaction to almost every aspect of this book? No. But the abandoned plot threads and flagrant plot holes verged on egregious, which is difficult to reconcile after a ~700 page investment.

Tallow and Bone comes out October 6th. While it ultimately wasn’t for me — I still admire Rhiannon, love her backlist and look forward to reading her future work.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start out by saying I enjoyed the authors Bluebeard retelling, so I had high hopes for a Salem witch trials retelling -- unfortunately, this fell flat. It was a bit of an info dump in the beginning and I took that as setting up the rest of the story considering its a standalone, well all that info was all for nothing because it barely comes into play for the rest of the story. At parts it felt repetitive, I found myself getting annoyed with Amity, and there was so much set up in the first 50% that I forgot it was supposed to be a love triangle. By this point I thought it was going to pick up because there was so many questions and things to tie up by the end, so surely the pace is going to ramp up, but no, it didn't. It was still a bit of a slog.

Circling back to the love triangle that didn't really feel like a triangle. Was she fated to this masked witch? Sure, but it didn't feel like he had any interest in her beyond the physical and even when he did open up, it still didn't feel like they were meant to be. I mean, there was push and pull between them and she was hating him even in the last few chapters and you want me to believe they were meant to be and they live happily ever after? Mind you, she was torn up over Saint George (who had to be the best character, hands down, so justice for George) and even went back to try and save him because she was so in love with him, but sure shes fated to a witch or whatever. Honestly, it seemed as though they were going to end in a throuple and I would've preferred that outcome.

There were too many questions left unanswered, hella plot holes, and too many side characters to keep up with (Meg died when? What happened to her brother that went off to Virginia? What of Charlotte? Did Elizabeth ever catch a beating from the reverend? Did the kids just accept the mother was dead, because it doesn't take that long to walk to Salem? What's the point of her being a witch if shes not even going to use her gifts beyond protecting herself from being assaulted..?) It had so much potential, but missed the mark incredibly. I believe it would've benefited from being a duet to give the proper attention to the storylines

[Marissa C · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has been to Salem and very much enjoys all things witchy, I really enjoyed this book. The storyline felt like a historically accurate retelling of the witch trials with a touch of magic added in. The author does a wonderful job of outlining the way women were treated and declared a witch for the most minute of actions. This was a hefty book with a lot packed in!
Amity Merriweather, our main character, goes through so much in this book, experiencing grief, desire, fear, jealousy, and love to name a few emotions. We meet her and her family as they flee to Salem. Upon arriving, she tries to hide her inner witch, but immediately draws the eye of townsfolk and the reverend. The theme of religion v witchcraft is done well, contrasted by multiple characters. She soon meets a male witch, the first she’s met of whom she immediately feels aflame. A love triangle eventually makes itself known, as marriage is pushed on Amity (practically a spinster in her young twenties-gasp!). And this just scratches the beginning of the story.
Parts of the rest of my review will be vague so as to no spoilers.
My favorite character was George. Sweet, sweet George. This man went through so much in this book and, like Amity, went through a multitude of emotion. Yet underneath, he just continually showed so much respect and love. He was definitely the epitome of goodness in this novel.
There were many characters to contrast this goodness with “evil” in this story. I use quotations, as the witchery was viewed as evil and the tug back and forth (especially in the penultimate scene!) made one question who was really evil! Not to mention the lustful reverend (ew.) and his questionable son, Amity’s drunken father, and a brainwashed, prying town. Rumors about relationships and witchery spread like wildfire.
The romance was very heavy and pretty spicy in this book, but I didn’t mind so much as the worldbuilding and story still was prominent and kept me interested. Also, some of the sexual ploys were kind of fun (strip chess, anyone?)
Overall, I throughout enjoyed this book. It was quite a long read, but the length made for a thorough experience, and whilst not quite a can’t put it down book for me, I was still invested and interested in the characters and story. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in a fiction retelling the witch trials with heavy romance.
A big thank you to the author for the ARC!

[Linz✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You will never know where you belong, if you don't know who you are."

Reading Tallow and Bone was such a haunting and emotional experience. The author took the Salem witch trials and layered it with so many emotions: yearning, desire, magic, and so much grief. The atmosphere in the story was absolutely haunting: making you feel like you were standing in the middle of Salem. It was dark, suffocating, and poisoned by fear and superstition. You could honestly feel the fear and tension building with every accusation and whispered suspicion. You felt how truly dangerous it was for our characters to exist in a place where being different could cost them everything.

Our FMC, Amity was easily one of my favorite parts of the story. So much of her life is shaped by having to hide who she truly is to survive. There was something so heartbreaking about watching Amity crave the freedom to exist without fear. The desire to be who you truly are. To be bold and unconventional without being judged and found guilty simply for being different. She fights herself and her true wants and desires throughout this whole story: the need to be safe vs. what makes her feel alive. Making the romance and yearning in this story so much more intense.

"Whatever you do, don't give up. Don't let them take your wildness. And if you ever doubt, even for an instant, know this: you are my heart and soul, my blood and tallow and bone. Nothing and no one will ever make you less."

To me this story was so much more than a Salem witch trial retelling. It shows you what happens when the world teaches you that your true self is something to fear and what it takes to finally stop hiding and apologizing for who you truly are. A woman who is too outspoken, too knowledgeable, too independent, too emotional, or simply different can become suspicious. The horror isn't simply the supernatural-it's what people are willing to do to one another because they are afraid of what they don't understand. How truth stops mattering once fear takes control.

"There is nothing wrong with you. You're a witch, dangerous and daring."

What To Expect
🐦‍⬛Salem Witch Retelling
🐦‍⬛Elemental Magic
🐦‍⬛Love Triangle
🐦‍⬛Forced Proximity
🐦‍⬛Masked MMC
🐦‍⬛Postpartum Rep
🐦‍⬛Epic Slow Burn


Pre-Read Review: A Salem Witch Retelling with A Masked MMC....Yes Please....Phone on DND!

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review for Tallow and Bone by Rhiannon Hargadon:

"That’s what this is. A blood sacrifice of myself. My future. My wildness. My freedom."

Tallow and Bone is a Salem Witch Trials retelling set around a dark, insidious backdrop, but at its heart, it is a love story. A story about finding your power in a world that aims to silence it. Of choosing good, pure love, or the fiery, toe-curling forbidden love.

Starting at the 1st page, the writing and story draws you in.
Descriptions of everything are so vivid you can smell the tallow, taste the rot, feel the presence of everyone and everything. The characters, the ambiance, all brings you along on this twisted mystery. You feel like the wind silently observing in the background as the plot, relationships and conversations take place. The banter and comradership of the siblings is everything! If you are from a large family, it makes perfect sense. As Amity's story progresses, you can feel what she feels. And ugh the moment she walks out the door away from her fate and towards her future. I'm still reeling! Sweet devastation at its finest. The tension, the anger, the love and the pain in those moments. It truly embodies how you feel through the entire book.

“Whatever you do, don’t give up. Don’t let them take your wildness. And if you ever doubt, even for an instant, know that I love you. You are my heart and soul, my blood and tallow and bone. Nothing and no one will make you less.”

This tale at its core is about life. The naked truth of it. The freedom and wilds of being a young person. No cares, just fire. Love and lust that lead you into adulthood. You change, love changes. As you age, love is always present, morphing as you do into the different roles of life. The honesty of this story, the light as well as the dark sides of life are truly riveting.

The devil, the crux, in the story is the humanity contained within. Using power to generate fear that's contagious, that corrupts and poisons all upon its soil. The one thing it can't destroy is love. Love can never be taken by force, only given, gifted to those we deem worthy.

I want to thank the author and publisher for allowing me to be an early part of this book's journey and for trusting my opinions of it. Rhiannon you are truly a master of your craft and it is made ever more evident with every word you put to paper. Thank you for this stark reality into our histories, done so magically that will have you screaming, crying, cheering, angry and the gambit of all the emotions in between.

[Janessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC RTC need to gather my thoughts…

But HOLYY MOLYYY WHAT A RIDE. I had to touch grass at one point in the book bc I was having really BIG feelings and stressing tf out. I wanted to pull my hair out, hug a tree, giggle and kick my feet. In that order lol.

[★*☆ Cheryl ☆*★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has taken me a full 24 hours to be ready to write a review. This book absolutely broke my heart and left me ugly crying. Some of my review will be vague, so that I don't spoil anything.

Amity Merriweather arrives in Salem, with her family, after fleeing every other place they've lived, due to her (and her mother) being a witch and the ongoing witch hunts. When Amity arrives in Salem, she notices that something is wrong and that even her earth magic isn't working right. There's a dark curse that's spread throughout the land, making it difficult to grow any crops. Through fear and superstition, the Salem residents believe witchcraft is the cause of all their problems.

Amity attempts to acclimate to her new environment, by having tea and gossiping with girls her age; with her fiery red hair, she does everything possible not to draw attention to herself. However, that's not really possible, because she can't help but voice her opinions, at times. This leads to her catching the attention of the reverend. That's all I will say about the reverend, but know that it's an ongoing issue.

She is able to meet 3 other witches in Salem: an older crone named Mary; a girl, around Amity's age, named Meg; and a mysterious male, that always wears a mask. Together, they attempt to fight the curse, believing that if they make it go away and the crops are restored, then the witch hunts will stop.

Through the book, we follow Amity's life around Salem. The hardships she faces, along with the happy moments. There is a love triangle that, at times, left me feeling angry, so much that I had to put the book down and come back. If I had a physical book, I probably would have thrown it across the room. There are times where you'll love all the characters, and then there are times where you'll hate some, if not all of them. Amity does have an unwanted pregnancy and struggles after the birth, during a time where post-partum depression wasn't known or recognized. We are given a look at how women we're treated, at the time, and how every little transgression can have you accused of witchcraft.

George. Sweet, sweet Georgie. That's all I will say about him.

Tallow and Bone is very well written. There's good character development. There's highs, lows, and heartbreak along the way. Like I said at the beginning, by the end of the book, I was crying ugly tears. Be sure to check your triggers.

Check. Your. Triggers!!

Rhiannon has a knack for great story telling and making you feel. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read this before it's published and offer my review. Thank you Rhiannon.

[AndaReadsTooMuch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge thank you to Rhiannon Hargadon for the eARC. All opinions are my own and freely given. This one is a wall-starer of the highest order. It took me three days of sitting here before I could even start to put words down about how I felt about this book. Full disclosure, I’m not sure I’ve fully processed yet so if it doesn’t make sense, don’t @ me about it.

Let me start here. The amount of research Rhiannon Hargadon went to in order to get this right is incredible. There are characters in here that are the fictional embodiment of the people in Salem we have learned about all our lives.

Not the dumb version where everyone is witches and evil and blah blah blah the devil or whatever. The version that tells the story of white men with power that wanted more. The profitable orchard, knowledge of medicine, a big house, a successful business, someone else’s wife or daughter. The real motivation behind the cries of witchcraft wasn’t purity, it was patriarchy.

This isn’t a love story. Don’t come here thinking you’re going to find the morally gray FMC that secretly has a heart of gold. Everyone is human, everyone is fallible, and everyone makes mistakes that cost people their lives.

This isn’t a happy story, while it is a standalone, it will not be the ending you think you want to have. It’s not here. Be ready to go in, eyes wide open, and understand how a town besieged by a curse ended up losing its humanity.

This book will change you. This book will be a reckoning. There are actions in this book, during a time that we truly think is behind us, that are happening to this day. Don’t go into this expecting romantasy. Go into this expecting emotional devastation and a rage that will fuel your entire body for the winter. Go into this book and come out different. And if you don’t…? Well, that is between you and your wall.

Five pentagrams for this one.

[Kelsey &#x1f4d6; · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for this ARC, here are my thoughts:

It’s 7 AM and I’m sobbing…
I’m simply UNWELL.

Forget Me Nots 🥹😭
& you will always be my witch
He was too pure and loving (a literal angel)

This story sucked me in from the first chapter
I simply did not much else other than read this
Any free moment I was picking up the book

The bleakness of the Salem witch trials
& complete evil and unfairness

All of these characters and side characters had SUCH DEPTH
The author DELIVERED.

But my eyes hurt from crying
I’ll never recover from “more weight”
& he never got to hold her

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
An unconventional HEA and I’m hurt 😞

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for my advanced copy of Tallow and Bone. This book took me on such a journey through Amity and her family moving to Salem, Amity trying not to draw attention to being a witch, the stress of hiding her true self, being caught between two men, and the emotional roller coaster that she (and I) went on through it all.

Amity is caught between being defiant and stubborn, and also wanting to blend in to protect herself and her family. By the halfway point, I felt like I was already deeply connected to the characters. The second half was a roller coaster of events and emotions. I had a deep understanding of Amity, empathized with her, and constantly asked myself what I would do in her situation. Keep in mind that this is not a world/time period that was kind to women, let alone a woman who was a witch.

The witch (as I’ll call him so as to not spoil anything) was so incredibly frustrating but I was living for every moment between him and Amity. If you like the hate to love trope, you’ll love this. And George, what do I even say about him - he’s just the most perfect patient loving supportive man and although I understood and felt for Amity, her indecision and apathy at times broke my heart for him. I’m so glad Amity found someone to love her unconditionally, even if only temporary.

Let me not forget to mention the postpartum rep. Amity really went through it after the birth of her daughter and I felt like her PPD was portrayed so well. Imagine being back in this time period and no one, including you, understood what was happening to you mentally. George remained so stable and caring to Amity and their daughter.

For me, this book was a little slow for the first half and really picked up after that. For those people that may feel the same, trust the process! You need the first half for the character development and for the rest of the book to land properly. After 50%, I could not put it down. I lost track of time. Time ceased to exist.

There were many heartbreaking moments, moments where I wanted to cry, and the ending finally got the tears flowing. The ending was so bittersweet. I love the research that was put in and the care for the topics that the author puts into every single book she writes. This book was so beautifully heartbreaking and bittersweet and it will have you so deeply invested in every single aspect of the story and characters. This is one that will stick with my soul for a long time.

If you want an emotionally complex and devastating story, perfect for fall witchy vibes, a very complicated love triangle, and characters that you’ll fall in love with and will break your heart, this is the perfect book for you.

[Nicola · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thank you and a massive shout-out to the author who allowed me to be an arc reader.

4.5 stars

Tallow and Bone by Rhiannon Hargadon is such a perfect read for spooky season! 👻 If you’re a fan of witches, dark magic, emotional trauma and a good love triangle, then this one is definitely worth picking up. The retelling of the Salem witch trials was such an interesting take, and I really enjoyed where the author took the story.

The plot was brilliant, and honestly, that love triangle? FIRST CLASS. 😂 I was fully invested and didn’t know who I wanted to win half the time. The emotional damage this book caused me, though… next level. I’m talking fat, ugly tears. 😭 So clearly, the author knew exactly what buttons to push!

There were just a couple of things that stopped this being a full 5 stars for me. I really wanted a little more from the storyline surrounding the curse on the land. I felt like there was so much potential there, but we didn’t really get enough detail around how it could be cured or resolved.

The other thing that threw me out of the story was the location changes. There were a few moments where the characters seemed to suddenly be somewhere completely different, almost as though the previous couple of sentences hadn’t happened. 😂 It might just be me, but it really pulled me out of the story each time it happened.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Spooky, emotional and with a fantastic love triangle — just a few little things keeping it from being a 5-star read for me!

[Amolee Patel · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This hurt my feelings while tackling so many difficult themes SO well: love, family, loyalty, sacrifice, and more. Though the story itself started a little slow, I was gripped by the DARK atmosphere and the complex characters. I was genuinely so uneasy because the paranoia, hate, and tension of the trials were so vividly and accurately portrayed. The FMC is messy after a lifetime of hiding herself, but I enjoyed her frustratingly realistic journey of healing and self-discovery. I don’t typically like a love triangle, but I thought this one explored the dynamics between each character SO well. Even though you get a satisfying ending, this story drags you through unforgiving trauma before you get there. This is SPICY and emotional and heavily character-driven. It is a great spooky season read if you are prepared for emotional devastation.

[Stephanie Keijzer]

Soft dnf for now..

[Sophie Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before starting Tallow and Bone, I was pre warned by a few friends who had received the ARC that this would likely emotionally destroy me.
They were not wrong.

There have been very few books I have read which have made me weep as much as this did. I am not exaggerating when I say that I was so snotty that I couldn't breathe and even gave myself a headache from the amount I cried. I truly felt like this had ripped my heart out, stomped on it, spat on it and shoved it back in my chest and expected it to beat the same again after.

The Salem Witch trials is one of the most heartbreaking events in human history. It's one of the moments I often think about in terms of how barbaric we as a humans have been, and unfortunately in today's day and age, not much has changed.

Tallow and Bone is a romantasy retelling of said Salem Witch trials. It was raw, deeply moving and heart breaking.
Rhiannon really hit the nail on the head with this one. The pacing of the story was brilliant, she built such a creepy, ominous atmosphere throughout that with each passing chapter you get more on edge, waiting, wondering and scared of what's to come. There's a false sense of security at parts.

Rhiannon made sure to get you connected to each character, to understand their flaws (which there are a lot), to see their struggles and still she wrote them in a way that had you loving them anyway. Flaws and all.
The themes of misogyny, violence, abuse, neglect, unwanted pregnancy and Rhiannons way of touching on the brutality and pain of postpartum depression and the feeling of not recognising yourself or your body anymore was very well done. For that, I am in awe.

At times I couldn't tell where this was heading, I had my theories of course, and this did not go how I expected. That in itself is one of my favourite things about this book as I love it when I am wrong, and the story ends up going in a direction you did not expect. A lot of "romantasy" these days follow the same course, mostly. Same sort of generalised plot, but different font sorta vibe.
However, by the second half, Tallow and Bone really moved in a direction that has you on the edge of a cliff, clinging on by your fingers, slipping, slipping, slipping. Waiting for that inevitable moment you tumble and fall.

And trust me, you will fall.
You will wail and want to scream bloody murder at the injustice, the horror and the raw, gut wrenching love story which is at the heart and soul of this book.

I will admit I do feel there are a few unanswered questions, a few loose ends, things that I wish were touched on a little more, even just to close them off. But, that does not take away from my rating whatsoever.

I agree when they say 5 stars is a feeling. Tallow and Bone makes you feel EVERYTHING.
If I could rate this higher than 5, then I would.

This will stay with me for a very long time. Even the authors note at the end had me crying further.



***Please do read the trigger warnings before reading this. There are some themes that some will find difficult to handle***

[Ruxi Avram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review

Tallow And Bone is written like a held breath, like a tremble, like a dream you are trapped in. Amity 's life is hidden and she is folded into herself completely, hiding her witch power for everyone, to stay hidden and play the role of a meek puritan woman.

This book terrified me completely, just thinking at what humankind did to itself, how, in order to have power over others, so called priests killed innocent men and women in horrible ways. And thinking that this story is based on actual facts,it is mind numbing. Yet this story is so beautiful! With all the sadness, and all the fear, there is so much love in here!

I cannot express my thoughts without a bit of a spoil, though I am truly trying! The whole story revolves around Amity. She is one of the six children of Merriweather family, and the only one who is a witch, like her mother. The book begins with their flight from Boston, followed by witch hunters. A tragic event separates the family, and they decide to meet in Salem, and see where to go next, to be safe. And so the Merriweathers reach Salem, a decrepit village, full of darkness, curses and resent, and they establish home in a deserted cottage: Edward- the father, Tobias, Amity, Elisabeth, Harriet and Jacob, and they wait for their mother to find them, togather with Charlotte. And time goes by, and they try to blend in: a family that raised the children at the British court of Charles the II-nd, children raised with books, chess, perfumes and high society, made to run away from the witch burnings from Europe to the Americas, where the witch hunts meant drowning, hanging and pressing with stones,as means of torture, trying to blend in with a Puritan based village, that hate indiscriminately and judge without thinking.
The way Rhiannon Hargadon managed to transform this period into a such a beautiful book is absolutely stunning!

The storyline develops when more witches come out seeking Amity, and she is dragged in a whirlwind of choises and decisions she has to make, in mistakes that run out of control. She is stuck between the love she chooses and the love she is fated to, and the way this transforms her, leads to an unexpected ending.

This is one of the books I was eager to read, yet afraid to reach the end: so much death, so many evil people dressed in righteousness, so much pain and sorrow that had me in tears...

The two men from Amity 's life bring different feelings and pluses to the story, and mark her life in different ways. Her experiences and her grief mark an age filled with darkness in our history, a period not meant to be repeated, yet never forgotten!

This is definitely a 5⭐️ book (and that because there are only 5 stars, it would deserve more!), one of the best fantasy books of the year,and I am truly grateful for having the honor of being part of the ARC team! Rhiannon Hargadon is a master of storytelling and her ability to bring to life such powerful stories and characters is filled with magic!

I have received this book as ARC and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sydney Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why am I surprised I loved this book so much? This is the third book I've read by Rhiannon Hargadon, and I've loved every single one, but I closed Tallow & Bone and genuinely just sat there thinking, wow... this was SO damn good.

Let me start by saying that this is not your typical HEA love story. In fact, this story absolutely broke my heart. It's emotional, toxic, messy, and at times incredibly difficult to sit with, but there's something about the way it all unfolds that felt devastatingly real and tragically beautiful. This isn't a neat, pretty love story where everyone makes the right choices and everything works out the way you hope. It's complicated, it's ugly, it's human, and I think that's exactly what made it so impactful.

I personally LOVE a love triangle, and I thought this one was explored in such an authentic way. I genuinely felt the confusion, the emotional pull, and the reasons for being drawn to both MMCs. It wasn't as simple as choosing the better man or deciding who was right for the FMC. There were so many layers to these relationships, and I could understand the conflicting emotions at the heart of it all. I was just as torn as I think I was supposed to be, and I really appreciated that.

I also want to talk about the representation of postpartum depression in this book because I think it deserves recognition. I found parts of it semi-triggering, but not because it felt sensationalized or mishandled. It was because it felt so painfully, uncomfortably real. The emotions, the struggles, and the uglier and rather shameful parts of an experience that can be incredibly difficult to talk about were portrayed in a way that genuinely resonated with me, as a mom myself. The subject matter in this story is dark, tragic, and at times heartbreaking, but I felt that it was handled with so much care and grace without losing the rawness of what makes it so difficult.

Tallow & Bone left me heartbroken, emotionally conflicted, and incredibly impressed. It wasn't a story that made me happy, but it was one that made me FEEL, and sometimes those are the stories that stay with you the longest.

Sign me up for the next heartbreak.

[KMart Books · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This book is dark right out of the gate. I was fascinated and thoroughly invested from the first page, but I also knew I needed to pause because my mental health wasn't prepared for what this story was putting me through. I'm really glad I waited instead of forcing myself to struggle through it, because this is a HEAVY romance. This was everything I wanted from Slewfoot. A deeply romantic story steeped in violence, hatred, and the control of women. It's brutal, infuriating, spicy, and at times difficult to read.

I fell utterly, thoroughly in love with George. I adored who he was for Amity, and I wanted her to choose him SO badly. Meanwhile, the physical bond between Amity and her witch was fascinating, and their relationship had a complexity that kept me invested even when they were making choices that had me wanting to shake some sense into BOTH of them. The yearning, the emotional turmoil, and the constant tension between love, sacrifice, and retribution made this such a compelling read.

I do think some of the emotional conflict became repetitive, though. Amity and her witch kept making terrible choices about each other, and after a while, I found myself sighing rather than feeling the full impact. I also wasn't entirely sold on the final stretch of chaos in Salem. It felt a little rushed and confusing. And while the epilogue was beautiful, I wish things had turned out differently. It wasn't my favorite ending, even if it did leave me with a bittersweet feeling that fits this story. It suited the story.

Tallow and Bone was a difficult, consuming read that had me glued to the page. I may have wanted a few things handled differently, but I won't soon forget this story.

Thanks to the author and Booksirens for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.