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Bring Me Their Hearts #2

Find Me Their Bones

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No one can save her.

In order to protect Prince Lucien d’Malvane’s heart, Zera had to betray him. Now, he hates the sight of her. Trapped in Cavanos as a prisoner of the king, she awaits the inevitable moment her witch severs their magical connection and finally ends her life.

But fate isn't ready to give her up just yet.

With freedom coming from the most unlikely of sources, Zera is given a second chance at life as a Heartless. But it comes with a terrible price. As the king mobilizes his army to march against the witches, Zera must tame an elusive and deadly valkerax trapped in the tunnels underneath the city if she wants to regain her humanity.

Winning over a bloodthirsty valkerax? Hard. Winning back her friends before war breaks out? A little harder.

But a Heartless winning back Prince Lucien’s heart?

The hardest thing she’s ever done.

400 pages, Hardcover

First published November 5, 2019

229 people are currently reading
9617 people want to read

About the author

Sara Wolf

29 books3,754 followers
Sara Wolf adores baking, cats, and screaming helpfully at her own imagination. When she was a kid she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later she mashed her fists on a laptop and created the Lovely Vicious series. She lives in Portland, Oregon where the sun can't get her anymore.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 730 reviews
Profile Image for Cindy ✩☽♔.
1,398 reviews985 followers
April 7, 2020
Rating ~ 2.5

That ending, wtf...

Let me start off by saying, I’m annoyed with myself for not properly reviewing the first book because apparently I loved it? Whereas this one kind of annoyed me a lot of the time.

Writing-wise, this was fine. But plot-wise? Meh.

This book seriously suffered from middle book syndrome. It just felt like filler. I still like Zera, but while I understood why she felt the need to be mistrustful and depend on herself everything started feeling repetitive. She constantly had the same internal argument about trusting Lucien and her friends. We kept getting reminded that she has really only known them for all of two weeks which, as she constantly points out, is not enough to really know anyone. And you know what? That's honest to god true. Which makes some of the later reveals feel unearned and contradictory.

Lucien and Zera's scenes were somewhat few and even when we did get any they felt off somehow. Zera pretending to feel nothing for Lucien due to her own misguided notion that he could do better was annoying but relatively understandable. What did not make sense was why Lucien behaved as though he was icing her out only for it to be revealed he was fighting for her all along. Like, why would he not make that clear to her? It would have saved so much time and frustration.

Another thing that dragged this book for me? Varia. I did not care about her at all. She bores me and her manipulations of Zera had me hating her. Yorl was the only part of Varia's plan I liked because his interactions with Zera were amusing and brought out my favorite parts of our heroine's humor.

In terms of overall world building and action, the book did pretty well. But it's most of the in-between that did not really do it for me. I'll probably still give the third book a shot since this one sort of ends abruptly and I'm curious how it will all wrap up.

I received a free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thank you to the Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy to read and review!
Profile Image for Melanie A..
1,242 reviews559 followers
June 19, 2020
4.5 STARS!!
He might not be mine ever again, but I refuse to live in a world without him in it.
I adore sarcasm . . . and Sara Wolf writes some of the best!

I'm rounding this sucker UP even if . . .

==> there was very little romance: I got swept up in the story anyway. **GASP** That's unheard of!

==> I didn't wait for the series to be finished before I started. God, what a rookie mistake!

I'm also rounding this sucker UP because . . .

==>It's written in the first person, present tense. Unheard of for a YA historical fantasy! I freaking loved how easily the writing flowed.

==>I revere strong heroines. And Zera was kick-ass, sarcastic, fearless, vulnerable, and so very conflicted...my absolute favorite characteristics.

I'll be impatiently awaiting the next book!
Profile Image for Danielle's.
Author 1 book169 followers
November 4, 2019
Seriously blown away. This series has me hanging onto every single word. I can’t get enough. I want to know everything but I don’t want it to end.

Being heartless means the place where there should be a beat is missing its instrument. Lady Zera is immortal and as special as a heartless can be. She belongs a witch and has one task in mind. Finding peace isn’t possible with the hunger inside her. Having her heart should mean everything but what of the friends she’s made. The ones who call her a traitor. Lady Zera has a new mission and yet her goal remains the same. Bringing her heart back into her chest will cost her the ultimate consequence.

To feel whole again will mean to understand her Darkside. The bone tree holds all the magic but the end is not quite in sight.

I’m hanging on to every cruel minute in the wait for the next instalment. This book is fantasy at its best. The heart is only as good as the owner's soul. Choose wisely.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It’s excellent. This series needs to be read in order and from the beginning. 5+ out of this world stars.
Profile Image for Redhead Haze.
277 reviews677 followers
November 16, 2021
“I can assure you, as someone who spent his life chasing power,” Gavik says, “when absolute power presents itself, there are no ‘justs’ anymore. It is all or nothing.”

Genre: high fantasy, romance
Tropes: slow burn romance, angst, redemption
Series: Bring Me Their Hearts #2
Cliffhanger: Yes
Rating: 4.5 ⭐

》》The Plot 《《

This book was angst. And I didn't like the beginning very much, but it won me over along the way.
In the aftermath of the events from the clearing, Zera is left under the control of Princess Varia, not really a prisoner, but still a traitor. Without her friends, the only hope she has is dangled by Varia in front of her eyes: teach a valkerax how to Weep, find the Bone Tree for her and she will no longer be a Heartless. And this isn't even the hardest thing she has to do: winning forgiveness seems a more difficult task.

"I’m one step closer to my heart. The valkerax can kill me all it likes—but I won’t give up.
Dying hurts much less than lying."


》》Characters and Relationships《《

👩🏻 Princess Varia - The Laughing Daughter

In this book, we get to see more of the mysterious lost crown princess and, just like the rest of the characters, she's complex. Varia proves difficult to label and even now, after THAT ending, I'm still not sure where to place her. She's not exactly easy to be fond of; I can't say I've felt much for her, but she's definitely interesting.

👩🏼 Zera

“Hi,” I try, wetting my fear-parched lips. “Nice dungeon you’ve got here. I think. I haven’t seen much of it because you appear to have an aversion to interior lighting.”

If there's something I'm still grateful for, is her snarkiness and funny retorts. She's still one of those really amazing MCs, not some annoying damsel in distress or fake "badass" heroine. And again, I'm touched by how much she can care, even without a heart, even when the world has turn their back on her. Without friendship, being seen as a traitor, being feared and used made her character grow. Yet, some decisions were still stupid and had annoyed the hell out of me, because her sheer stubbornness to make herself as monstrous as possible and deny any sort of happiness for herself were exhausting to follow. I do hope she will learn to love herself, because even if she has grown during these two books, she's still not at the end of the road.

“For all you know, I could be looking for something,” I argue.
“Like what?” Lucien quirks a brow behind his cowl.
“A warm bowl of soup, maybe,” I offer.
“A sense of dignity,” Malachite counteroffers.
“A sense of humor,” I fire back at him. “Since you seem to have lost yours.”
“Lost? No,” Malachite scoffs. “You stole it from me right around the same time you tried to kill my best friend, sarvett.”
“Ooh.” I smile at his beneather word. “I like the sound of that one. What does it mean?”
“Conniving cave scorpion.” Malachite smiles back at me for once.


The relationships between her and the rest of the group were obviously going through some setbacks and her romance with Lucien was most definitely excruciating to follow, because it was full of angst. Yet, somehow, they still got their cute moments. And, well, when the truth is out and you've reached rock bottom, there's no way to go but up.

🧑🏻 Lucien

I love him. Even more. If that’s possible. This book was a perfect character development for him as he too had to deal with a lot and the scenes with him were a delight. Even when he was heartbroken and cold, because he was so sweet in his pining.

Also, his Whisper outfit??

Yorl freezes as Lucien narrows his eyes further at him. “Your Highness? In that gaudy getup?” He pauses, looking down. “With pants that tight?”
“It’s better than no pants at all,” Lucien snarls.


I wouldn't complain, just saying.

Malachite was still a great side character, but had to be a little somber because joking with the girl that hurt your best friend isn't really the way to go. Yet, he got to play the hero pretty nicely and he didn't put Zera through hell as I was expecting.

Fione proved again stronger than i would've thought. The choices she made were really brave and, even though I was disappointed in her at first, she redeemed herself in the end.

》》Conclusion《《

I liked this book even more than the first one. It was well written, a total page-turner and sprinkled with those perfect scenes that make you feel things. It was about love and friendship, redemption and loyalty and I think it's on the brink of teaching a bit of self love too.

I definitely recommend this: it's funny but sensible, fast-paced yet slow when it comes to romance and reality worthy of a chance.

"We’re both standing here, smiling at each other, knowing exactly what we both are. It’s no longer me deceiving him, secrets always up my laced sleeve. This is the two of us on equal footing.
At last."
Profile Image for Carrie.
3,567 reviews1,693 followers
October 21, 2019
Find Me Their Bones by Sara Wolf is the second book in the young adult romantic fantasy Bring Me Their Hearts series. This series is definitely one that a reader should start from the beginning and read in order as the story now in the second book has picked up right after the cliffhanger ending of the first and wouldn’t be understood out of order.

In the first book of the series, Bring Me Their Hearts, readers met Zera who was a Heartless, or a twist on what we know of as a zombie. When Zera’s family was killed by Heartless a witch, Nightsinger, decided to spare Zera by making her into a Heartless herself instead of letting her die. By taking her heart Nightsinger had control of Zera and she became the monster she had feared. A Heartless is very zombie like in the urge to murder and their need for raw meat but still looking human and hanging onto a thread of her humanity Zera wanted nothing more than her heart back and to be human again.

When Nightsinger was approached to allow the use of Zera to infiltrate and get close to Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane Nightsinger made Zera an offer she couldn’t refuse. If Zera could attempt to pass as human and win the Prince’s heart to allow Nightsinger to take his heart she would trade it for Zera’s own and grant her freedom and her life back. Battling the monster inside of her Zera vows to bring Nightsinger the Prince but if she failed Nightsinger would crush her own heart.

Bring Me Their Hearts was one of those books I became cover obsessed and needed to read simply after a glance and thankfully when I did I really enjoyed it. The material was an original take on an old classic and I loved Zera’s snarky zombiefied self right from the beginning. All of that carried over into the second book but the romance did take a seat in the background while progressing the story. This one does have a bit of middle book feel to it even with the action that takes place as we just wind up back to another cliffhanger without anything getting resolved but I’m definitely still a fan and waiting for book three.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Profile Image for Carolin Wahl.
Author 15 books1,431 followers
April 29, 2021
3.5 Sterne

Konnte mich nicht so abholen, wie Band 1. War Schenkel genervt und fand vieles auch nicht gut erzählt...
Profile Image for Claude's Bookzone.
1,551 reviews271 followers
March 25, 2021
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4

CW:

Well that was a good follow up, although I thought the first book was a lot more fun and engaging. I missed the witty banter from book 1 and hopefully this will resume in book 3.
Profile Image for Rachel E. Carter.
Author 10 books3,589 followers
Read
January 27, 2023
Wow. I'm dying because now I have to wait another year for the sequel but the wait will be worth every minute. Sara Wolf, please write more YA fantasy, this series is my newest obsession and I can't get over it -to me, it's better than Holly Black's Cruel Prince series and that's saying a lot.
Profile Image for ✪ JY ✪ (conans version)(Semi-Hiatus).
99 reviews59 followers
June 19, 2024
3.5
This book is seriously underrated!!
If u like books with
-bold, strong and funny main protagonist/FMC (shes is an immortal killing machine)
-sarcastic side character
-mysterious dark prince
-Witches
-YA fantasy
-kinda similar to powerless
Then this is a must-read!
Profile Image for Carole (Carole's Random Life).
1,937 reviews607 followers
November 11, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I had such a good time with this book! I absolutely adored the first book in this series, which ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I was really eager to get started with this book. Before I even got started with this book, I was impressed by the cover art. These covers are just gorgeous and I am a sucker for a good cover. Of course, the most important part is the actual story and I thought that was very well done as well. This was such an entertaining read from beginning to end.

This is the second book in the Bring Me Their Hearts series, which is a series that needs to be read in order. It is going to be almost impossible to talk about this book without some spoilers for the first book so there may be some spoilers within this review. Zera is a Heartless, which means that a witch has her heart and can control her. There are some perks with her condition. She is immortal. She dies but always comes back to life. She heals fast and doesn't age. Of course, the fact that she is under someone else's control negates any benefit.

Zera is given a new task in this book. She must train a valkerax to control its hunger. This isn't going to be an easy task and she is also having to deal with a very changed situation at court. I loved the way that I wasn't quite sure of the motivation of some of the characters. Was anyone really on Zera's side or was she completely on her own? I loved watching Zera navigate each difficult situation thrown at her. She is such a wonderful character with a really big heart even though a witch holds hers.

This book did throw some surprises at me which is never a bad thing. I thought that the feel of this book was a bit different. The first book had quite a bit of romance and while I wouldn't say there is no romance in this book, I did feel that things were much more uncertain. This book does end with a bit of a cliffhanger but it is one that I feel that I can live with, though I am really eager to get my hands on the next installment.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a wonderful installment in the series that was able to keep me guessing until the very end. I cannot wait to read more of this entertaining series.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Entangled: Teen via NetGalley.

Initial Thoughts
Ok, where is the next book? I need the next book!! This book had a bit of a different feel than the first one. Zera's world has changed and she is facing a new set of circumstances. I did miss the sparks between her and Luc. There is still something there but it feels a lot more uncertain. This book made me wonder who the good guys really were. Definitely a good read!
Profile Image for Jen (jenslostinthepages) ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥.
772 reviews391 followers
November 7, 2019
Find Me Their Bones was an incredible continuation of the Bring Me Their Hearts Series. This book started off right where the last one ended. The action packed pages were filled with secrets, friendship, betrayal, and finding faith in yourself. And it never once slowed down. So hold on because you're about to be taken on a fabulous journey! So here are some of my favorite things about this book.....
I’m being forced to choose again. Between my heart and him. But this time… this time I’ll make the right choice.


✮ Zera & Sacrifice:
“How can something that was a lie mean anything at all?”

Zera was a force to be reckoned with. The fact that she was a heartless who could weep, she was wanted for something special. No matter how dark that path would become, she still had her voice. Zera still had her snark. But she had so much to learn. Who to trust. How to choose what was right. While Zera made some excellent decisions, she also made some that hurt my heart. Even if it was truly for the best.
A thousand things flood my mouth and jockey for first place: I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you. I didn’t mean to hurt you—

I loved that Zera was smart, quick witted and had a heart, even if it wasn't in her chest. I hoped she'd finally find the path that led her to happiness. Because she had lost so much. Her life felt even more horrific now and I cried for her, for the injustice of it all. It hurt that she had to tarnish herself and the friendships she had with others. Her lies hurt. Her actions hurt. It all hurt. But her reasons behind it were pure hearted. She wanted to make amends with those she betrayed. But I wanted her to be selfish for once. To take what she wanted. She deserved happiness, love and friendship. She was such an amazing person and I kept waiting for her to realize how truly astounding she was.


✮ Prince Lucien & The Truth:
He’s beautiful. And I can’t bear to tear my gaze away. No matter how much I know I should, no matter how much I know I need to push him away, I can’t bring myself to.
Neither of us speaks.

Prince Lucien was even more swoon worthy in Find Me Their Bones. And don't tell Zera, but I loved him the most! Just like the first book, I looked for clues surrounding Prince Lucien. He emitted anger and disgust towards Zera. After all, she was a heartless who deceived him and murdered others. Yet I kept my fingers crossed that he would see the light for who she truly was.
“You actually think I would tell you the truth? After everything I’ve done?” I whisper up at him.
“I’m giving you another chance to,” he says.

My heart was in my throat when Prince Lucien would say things that made me pause or second guess what he was saying. A touch here. A glance there. Was I only reading into how I wanted it to all turn out? But Prince Lucien was also on an emotional journey. One I can't say why, other than I was so extremely proud of him!

✮ Lost In The Story:

This one moment is all I could ever ask for. It is all I will ever have, and I tattoo it into every part of my aching flesh.

Find Me Their Bones was perfectly paced and always kept me entertained. There were twists and turns and while I saw a lot of them coming, I was still in shock. I was in disbelief that that truly happened. With heart stopping peril and moments that made me laugh out loud, this book was the perfect combination. So much was revealed and it all became so clear what was happening and where it was all leading us to.
He laughs softly, hollowly, keeping his mouth by my ear. “Don’t look so troubled, Lady Zera. You and I both know it’s true. It was only two weeks. What sort of love is ever true after only two weeks? We were infatuated, and nothing more.”
His thoughts mirror mine, the truth like needles piercing any joy I held secretly.
“And yet,” he says, “emotions aren’t convenient pieces of jewelry you can put on and take off whenever you want to.”


Looking back, I was even more emotional with this story. I had tears for the tiny remnants of friendship I found. I had tears for when the truth was spoken. And I even shed tears for what Zera was able to accomplish. I was SO proud of her. But this story isn't close to being over, so I'll be desperately counting down until the next book is released and I can be back in this world I love. I can't wait to be back with my friends. So yes, I definitely recommend this series. But be prepared, it's a wild and fabulous ride!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

For more of my reviews, please visit:
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Profile Image for Roobie.
709 reviews88 followers
October 3, 2020
⭐️4 stars⭐️

Death only means something because life does.

The real monster is not death. It is immortality. It is nothing changing, ever.
It is that choking gray haze.
It's remaining the same for three years, trapped in a forest.
It's death being reduced to a joke.

It is death meaning nothing, because then life, too, means nothing.
Profile Image for nia&#x1f3f9; •shades0fpaper•.
884 reviews122 followers
September 29, 2019
You can find this review on my blog Shades of Paper.

“Don’t bother with the past, Zera. The future is where you’ll find your freedom.”


After the cliffhanger in Bring me Their Hearts, I knew I had to pick up the sequel ASAP. I must admit that even though I really enjoyed the first installment, I didn’t remember much about what happened in it, so I went into Find Me Their Bones a bit unsure as to what to expect. Overall I have to say that I ended up really enjoying this one, and it was a lot easier to get into this sequel that what I thought it would be.

Something that I really love about this series is how fast paced the books are. I become so immerse in the story that I can’t stop reading until I know how everything’s going to end, and with Find Me Their Bones happened exactly the same. I was a bit confused at the very beginning trying to place everything that was going on, but as I continued reading I became more engrossed in the book and finished it in two sittings, which was so surprising to me.

I also really loved how the author explored more of this world and the magic, and we learnt more about it. It was a bit more complex than the first installment, and though the plot had little to do with what was introduced to us in the fist book, I still really enjoyed the tone and everything that was going on in this one. There were some new creatures, as well as more information about certain characters’ backstories that I found super interesting and added something new to the plot, and there was a much more complex plot as well.

“And still in death my skeleton would go on, the bones moving of their own accord, and my flesh feeding its furnace.”


When it comes to the characters, I have to say that I enjoyed them more in this particular book. I don’t know if it was because I already knew them and been distanced from them for more than a year, but I adored our protagonist Zera a lot more. She had such a great evolution, and something that I loved about her was how determined she was at getting her heart back and how she was willing to do anything to get it, even if that meant betraying the people she loved. That was a themed that was explored in Bring Me Their Hearts, but it didn’t change in the sequel. There are times that when there is some sort of romance involved, the female character tends to change her vision of what she wants, but I was so happy to see that it wasn’t the case in neither of these books.

I was also a bit shocked to see that the romance between Zera and Lucien became a much lesser focused in Find Me Their Bones, and it was more heavily focused on the plot and the characters’ growth. To be honest, though I still think the last installment will have a little bit of romance in it, I didn’t miss it in this one, because I was enjoying what was going on.

The ending, again, was a huge cliffhanger, though not as shocking as the one in the first one. I liked the direction the story is taking, and am intrigued to know what will happen to these characters and what the plot will be.

Overall, I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Find Me Their Bones. It was such a fast paced story that it took me so little to read, and I really enjoyed the character arcs and the dynamics going on between them in this installment. The plot was a bit more complex, and we learnt more about the world and the magic system, which was something that I appreciated.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn’t change my opinion whatsoever. All thoughts are my own.

“We can’t remember who we were. We’re always hurting. Always hungry. That isn0t home. This… This isn’t a home. It’s a prison.”


Actual rating: 4.25 ★

....
..

Thank you Entangled Teen for the ARC!

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Profile Image for Neverland3r.
506 reviews91 followers
June 14, 2020
4,5
Sprachlos. Schockiert. Wieso kommt der 3. erst im November raus (auf englisch)? 😭
Profile Image for abthebooknerd.
317 reviews158 followers
May 24, 2020
I have only one question: if I send you my soul, can I get book three?

(warning: slight spoilers if you haven't read book #1)

This sequel DELIVERED.



400 pages, and I finished it in one day. Am I simply a fast-reader? Or a crack addict? Time will tell. Perhaps a little bit of both.

"As long as the voice is with us," I heave with my breath. "nowhere is home."


Sara Wolf is a SORCERESSSSS. Everything I needed was in this sequel. The heartbreak, the tension, the secrets. Each moment embedded with emotion and internal suffering; the sting of betrayal, the hope of forgiveness. Friendship, love, and loss. It hurt so good. As a reader, it was the equivalent of getting my heart ripped out, but as writer, I was taking notes.

Yorl was a new character that I, to my surprise, grew to like. Especially when he said this to my boi, my Prince, Lucien:

Yorl freezes as Lucien narrows his eyes further at him. "Your Highness? In that gaudy getup?" He pauses, looking down. "With pants that tight?"


WHAT AN ICON.

But you know who's not an icon? Varia. She's actually the opposite of an icon. She's a non-con. You heard it here first, folks. I'm trademarking it. We stan the ambition, girl, but ambition helps no one if you unleash hell on earth, ya' know? Especially after what she did to me bebe, Zera. In short: We DO NOT STAN.

Is it the nature of witches to wield freedom like a bargaining chip?


Now, the romance. THE ROMANCE.

(I'm just screaming and repeating myself at this point, trust me, I know.)

I could go into a detailed book report about this relationship: one of my ultimate OTPs. But that would take forever. So, I will just leave this quote comparison here. While you're reading it, just imagine me screeching in a fetal position, surrounded by tissues, in a far-away corner of whatever room you're in.

He might not be mine ever again, but I refuse to live in a world without him in it.

...

"You have a life to live," I spit.

"That life is not worth living." His voice is hard. "If it's not with you."




Such a strong sequel. My favorite series of this year. And someway, somehow, I will get an ARC of the conclusion before it comes out! That is a promise.

Also, ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER. I die.
Profile Image for beautyliterate.
354 reviews1,359 followers
November 5, 2020
Reread this is preparation for the third and while I am ready I'm also not?

I just cannot believe after 2 years one of my favorites series is coming to an end BUT I NEEEED to find out what happens especially after the ending of this book (iykyk)

5/5 stars..duh
-------------------------------
5/5 stars

Reading Vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhjgZ...

THIS. SERIES. I. AM. OBSESSED.

I cannot express how much I enjoy everything from the characters, to the plot, to the fantastical elements, there is so much for me to get from this series that has me flying through it. If it wasn't for school or other elements that have been not able to read I would have finished this in a day.

Can it be November already??
Profile Image for spring ~♡.
593 reviews818 followers
October 2, 2020
Ugh.. that ending!

I didn’t think I'd give this book a chance since I'm not a big fan of the first book.
But surprisingly I'm not sure if this book is better than the first one or not.

I absolutely hate Lucien, it sucks when you hate the male MC. Lucien is way too manipulative and calculating for my comfort.
Felt like he's continuously playing with Zera's emotions (eventhoughheloveher!)
And Zera is continuously reminding herself that Prince Lucien deserves better. That was super annoying.

The plot twists were.. Meh

Atleast the ending was worth it. I can't wait to start the next book after that cliffhanger.
Fortunately I've the ARC!
Profile Image for Sue_reads_books.
511 reviews41 followers
March 15, 2021
4,5 🌟

(Spoiler für Teil eins möglich, aber bemühe mich drauf zu verzichten)

Endlich mal wieder ein richtig guter zweiter Teil, der wirklich spannend und ziemlich nervenaufreibend war 😍

Schon zu Beginn gibt es eine Wendung, die ich nicht habe kommen sehen, und somit wurden die Weichen für den weiteren Handlungsverlauf noch mal komplett neu gestellt. Mir hat das wirklich gut gefallen, weil es vom Aufbau her recht clever war, denn so konnten sich ganz überraschende Dinge ereignen, für die im Prinzip der gesamte zweite Band genug Raum bieten konnte.
Das Ende war extrem spannend und förderte noch einmal Geheimnisse zu Tage, die mir vorher gar nicht in den Sinn gekommen wären.

Grundsätzlich liegt der Fokus auf Zera und dem, was sie tun muss, um ihr Herz zurück zu bekommen - klingt wie ihre Mission in Teil eins, ist aber dennoch völlig anders. Zusätzlich muss sie mit ihrem schlechten Gewissen Lucien und ihren Freunden gegenüber zurecht kommen, was sie zwischendurch sehr verbittert und hoffnungslos wirken lässt, aber eigentlich ist sie immer auf die Sicherheit und das Wohlergehen derjenigen bedacht, die ihr nahe stehen. Sie ist selbstlos, aufopfernd, und viel besser als sie sich selbst sieht. Ich konnte ihre Verzweiflung und die daraus resultierenden schweren Entscheidungen sehr gut nachfühlen und mein armes Herz hat zwischendurch ziemlich gelitten 🥺

Lucien ist der Wahnsinn - denn er sieht Zera genau als das, was sie ist, und egal, wie sehr sie ihn auch von sich stößt aus dem Irrglauben heraus, sie wäre die Falsche für ihn, ist er fest entschlossen für sie zu kämpfen.
Diese felsenfeste Überzeugung sie zu retten und sein Leben mit ihr zu teilen, hinter ihre Fassade zu blicken und sich nicht abschrecken zu lassen, machen ihn zu einem besonderen Protagonisten, dem man nicht oft in solchen Geschichten begegnet. Er lässt sich einfach nicht verunsichern, ich fand das ganz großartig und irgendwie erfrischend.

Ein klein wenig Abzug gibt es für die Tatsache, das Zera ihren Freunden weniger vertraut als ihrer Hexe. Denn dafür gibt es gerade gegen Ende keinen Grund, und auch ihre eine Entscheidung, die ihr ihr Herz zurückbringen soll, dient zwar der Handlung, ist aber nicht hundertprozentig logisch. Ihre Alternative wäre doch eine viel sichere Bank gewesen, und ihre Begründung, diese auszuschlagen, konnte mich nicht ganz überzeugen.

Insgesamt eine tolle Fortsetzung, die ich sehr weiterempfehlen kann ❤️
Profile Image for Lenore ..
Author 2 books63 followers
November 6, 2019
✧ ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW ✧

Is there a light in the world strong enough to shine through the dark things I've done?

This book... ouch.

I took this sequel like a shot and finished it in less than twelve hours. And let me tell you, Find Me Their Bones is the definition of epic. Sara Wolf has upped her narrative arc game to such an extend that the beginning and ending of this installment mirror those of the previous one, making me appreciate her brilliance as a writer all the more.

While Zera and Lucien's relationship was the heart of its predecessor, Find Me Their Bones feels much more like Zera's book. Suffering from the negative consequences of a choice she is now convinced was wrong, our heroine is more determined than ever to win her heart back, no matter the cost to her former friends. Taking center stage in a plot to rally the dragon-like valkerax to Cavanos' side in the impending war between humans and witches, she explores her moral grayness while attempting to sever her ties with Vetris' nobles once and for all. Previous and current events are analyzed in conversations and internal monologues in a deceptively straightforward way, inspiring readers to look between the lines to discover what is real and what is false. As always, Wolf's ability to introduce side characters who feel completely fleshed out despite their modest role in the story and brilliantly develop their relationship with the protagonist shines. The history and mythology of the world is also given more development and weight in this installment, which feels more like a high fantasy with a romantic subplot than a fantasy romance like its predecessor.

Zera and Lucien's relationship in Find Me Their Bones is the epitome of Margaret Atwood's line: "If I love you, is that a fact or a weapon?" Viewed from a myriad of angles, from infatuation to lust to love, their relationship is equally pursued and exploited by each of them in turn, making their interactions both delightful and painful to read. Admirably bent on their diametrically opposed goals, Zera and Lucien use every trick up their sleeves - physical desire, dishonesty, court intrigue, magic - to realize their intentions, inevitably hurting each other in the process. But in the rare moments when their masks slip, they're utterly incapable of fooling themselves, much less the reader, that their emotions are entirely fabricated. Can we please call it even now and have a heart to heart (pun intended) about this hot mess of a relationship? Thanks.

As exciting as this book was, my four-star rating marks it as a slight letdown from the glorious Bring Me Their Hearts. In a word, the plot lacked a world-turning twist and continued firmly on the path it had set out from the beginning, somewhat diminishing the effect of the ending climax. Nevertheless, instead of being merely a set-up for the grand finale, Find Me Their Bones is a marvelous story in its own right with a just the barest hints of future events sprinkled here and there.

Finally, I'd like to take a moment to appreciate Wolf's subtle development of certain elements from Bring Me Their Hearts, such as adding more depth to Gavik's motivations and gender-bending Zera and Lucien's true names. Her heart-warming attention to detail with (sadly) surprising feminine pronouns, her nods to the Multiverse Theory with Zera's parallel-timeline fantasies, and the tongue-in-cheek meta awareness of both her language and her narrative make this book a real treat for an analytical reader such as myself. It is truly a gift when you can see yourself reflected in fiction so clearly that it makes you feel real.

Find Me Their Bones is sure to win the hearts of both whole- and half-hearted fans of Zera's story. Even those bothered by her previous choices are sure to firmly side with her this time around.

Read my review of Bring Me Their Hearts

More of my reviews can be found on my book blog, Valley of the Books.
***
pre-review:
FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS GLORIOUS COVER

THIS TITLE OH MY GOSH!! I CANNOT WAIT
Profile Image for Victoria (Victoriabooklover).
369 reviews105 followers
November 6, 2019
So first of all, CLIFF. HANGER.

Be warned, you will be left aching at the end of this book. And I had a feeling, because too much was happening in those last couple of pages. And everything just spiraled and then came to a startling HAULT. Like in the midst of the chaos, everything stops. You best believe I have grey hair now.

Overall a great read.

But on to the spoilery stuff...

This second installment was great, but also very frustrating, I will say. I will start with the good stuff this time, however.

I enjoyed Zera having to train the Valkerax. It was a fun experience, watching a monster tame another monster, and best of all Zera with her humor, dealing with the most serious beast on the planet who spoke (as quoted by Zera) like a drunk poet. The dynamic between the two was quite interesting, and I loved how their relationship developed. The Valkerax grew to trust Zera and Zera grew to sort of care for the beast. I loved it.

I enjoyed Zera’s wit, though it fell short in this book, but that’s to be expected with the plot thickening and all, we don’t have time for Zera to be funny 24/7 and so I have no complaints with that.

Now we get to the more frustrating part, the romance, and the relationship between Zera and Lucien. Already in the first book they literally AVOIDED each other—mostly Zera—the entire book. And of course, knowing where the story was headed, we expected a set back in their relationship. Totally understandable. But as someone who went into this story expecting romance as well as a intriguing plot, I felt the romance fell entirely short. Listen, I get it. Lucien hates heartless and she betrayed him. Of course he can be angry, of course he should want to be done with her, but he WASN’T and he expressed that quite literally towards the end of the book. It’s Zera who just wouldn’t have it. Every time he expressed his longing for her she just ignored him and told him to marry someone else. Like just LISTEN TO HIM FOR ONCE.

Also I hate romance books where the majority of it is the two characters avoiding each other until the very end and then being like “oh I love you, let’s be together”. In my opinion, the whole point of the romance is to actually witness them BEING TOGETHER. Not just seeing them fight and deny their feelings for 400 pages. And that happened in both books. BOTH. So all I ask Sara, is that you PLEASE allow them some time together in the last book. Let them kiss and hug and spend some time together because 2 books in and we haven’t gotten any of that. Not in the way we deserve. And of course I get it, the plot thickens and it takes time away from that, but all I ask is that you make time, because I would greatly appreciate it 🙏.

But as I said, overall this was a good second installment. It does pick up right where we left off, it does move rather quickly, and so you’re never bored, and you do still get your laughs from our dear main heartless Zera. Oh! And more witches 🖤.
Profile Image for Nainika Gupta.
Author 2 books99 followers
September 13, 2022
holy shit holy shit holy shit

wow

This second book really tore through the first one with a viciousness I wasn't expecting, but I absolutely loved it! We get to see more of this world, and we get to see Zera embracing who she is, and also still fighting against the witch who holds her heart. All of them.
Profile Image for jenna ♡ (fullybooked).
215 reviews121 followers
September 12, 2021
This is such a fun series!

⛔️possible teeny spoilers ahead⛔️

The world & magic-system are so fantastic & have many refreshingly different aspects that leave you constantly wanting more. And of course, Sara Wolf’s writing-style is incredibly entertaining; filled with great banter & sarcastic one-liners, but also laced with thought-provoking messages.

“Jealousy is a terrible beast that makes clever people so dull.” 🔍🔍🔍 Where’s the lie?? We can’t find her 🧐


Zera (aka “conniving cave scorpion”) is the type of morally-grey, constantly conflicted wildcard I adore; sharp-tongued & never fails to make me laugh.
Out loud.
Repeatedly.

💗🌈☀️“We need to find someone decidedly less criminal & frequently less homicidal.”☀️🌈💗 You will find zero toxic positivity here 😌


This sequel had much less of a focus on a romantic element which is usually what keeps me hooked, however, the way Ms Wolf wraps up her plot in mystery & intrigue, a loveable cast of characters & commentary around guilt, hope, mercy & sacrifice, power, fear, & hate, kept me enchanted until the very end - it truly packs a punch 🥊💥

The first-person present tense is the only (semi) downfall for me personally, as sometimes it can be A LOT to be stuck inside Zera’s frequent thought-spirals (being stuck in my own is ✨more than enough tyvm✨)


I feel cheated that my library doesn’t have the final book for me to devour so I guess my credit card & I will be taking another trip to Amazon 💸
Profile Image for RenaFantasie.
208 reviews11 followers
June 17, 2020
Grandiose Handlung und einzigartige Charaktere. Zera ist frech, witzig und unglaublich liebenswert. Der Storyverlauf ist abwechslungsreich, hat Action, Spannung und Humor. Am Ende gibt es schon wieder einen richtig fiesen Cliffhänger.
Meine komplette Review könnt Ihr euch hier anschauen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf08x...
Profile Image for Shannon  Miz.
1,503 reviews1,079 followers
November 6, 2019
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

I freaking adored  Bring Me Their Hearts when it came out last year, and I could not wait for the sequel! Happy to report, it didn't disappoint! I'll be keeping this short to minimize the chance for spoiling anything, but if you enjoyed the first book, I think you'll find this one to your liking too.

Zera is once again stuck between regaining her own heart, and keeping her newfound friends safe. Zera is not the monster she thinks herself to be, which is really what is at the core of this book. But what will it take for Zera to realize it? Can she? These are the questions. We learn a lot more in this book about the world around Zera, which I enjoyed a lot. We also get a lot more insight into what makes the characters tick.

Does it feel like a middle book? A bit, yes, but I don't think that's always a bad thing? It didn't feel sloggy or anything, and Zera was funny as ever! And her relationship (or lack thereof?) with Lucien is as gut-wrenching as ever. I loved that Zera's friendship bonds were tested, and now she's figuring out who is truly there for her- and who she is willing to sacrifice for.

I will say, there's a bit with a valkerax that went a bit over my head, but that might just be a "me" issue. Overall, the stakes are higher than ever, and more brutal than ever, and it's set up the third book phenomenally!

Bottom Line:  Definitely a solid sequel, bringing back all the characters I adored so much with a lot of added world-building information. Cannot wait for the next installment!
Profile Image for Diabolica.
459 reviews57 followers
August 31, 2021
I did not expect to be reminded of second book syndrome while reading this… and I was so excited to read this series. But for all my disappointment, it’s still a great read and I believe I will be much happier after the third book.

Make no mistake, this book is great and also a great addition to the series. But after the first book, this was a bit disappointing.

This book was missing the snark that I enjoyed from the first book. Instead, it was replaced by a self-deprecating loop. I give Wolf props for writing a non-angsty inner monologue, although anymore and she would have gotten dangerous close.

My biggest peeve with this book has be the reduction in characters. I’ll admit was a very interesting character and one that was well-developed. As was . But the rest of the cast, all the ones from the first book, became so damn shallow. I really liked Lucian and Fione in the first book, but in this one, man, they really flattened out.

I think my favourite thing that the author addressed was their two week love story.

Plot wise, I’m very impressed with the way everything was strung together. Personally, I think the plot could have been a little more intricate, but I might just be spoilt from reading crime fic. The world-building was still amazing. Although, some of the MC’s actions kinda drove me up the wall.

I’ve rounded 3.5 stars up. Mostly because the world building and plot was pretty well strung together, making up for my disappointment.
Profile Image for ⊹ ⁺ ₊ ✧ she's book obsessed ✧ ₊ ⁺ ⊹.
582 reviews360 followers
December 3, 2020
Find Me Their Bones
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It's official, Lucien Drevenis d´Malvane is on my simp list!
This needs to be repeated, Zera´s personality is everything! I've heard you could steal personalities from characters... In this case, Zera is what I inspire to be.
Absolutely loved to read about betrayal, so bitter yet sweet at the same time.
Now I need to read the third book, I'm very excited!
Profile Image for Lulai.
1,368 reviews153 followers
August 29, 2019
Ah Sara Wolf, a nice author that I like in contemporary/romance, but especially in fantasy.

Sara Wolf had left us on a good cliffhanger at the end of "Bring me their heart" and this second volume resumed immediately without any pause time. Find Me Their Bones will introduce new magical creatures, there were witches, heartless, but the author goes back in history and brings us a beautiful mythology I do not want to say too much, because it is a key point, but I really appreciated this new contribution. This book will also prove that the conflict with the witches is far from over, tensions rise over the volume and the third volume that should be the last will be epic, I feel good about this one.

We continue to follow Zera in this sequel and she is always pleasant and funny to read. She is not going to live simple things, but she has kept her party. But this second volume brings us a new central character, V. I must say that she redistributes the cards and her character is complex, her evolution is not surprising in itself, but it gives a completely different dimension to the story, it is a good idea for the author to bring her in. And for the one who wanted angst between Lucien and Zera you will be please.

For the plot, there are codes specific to a second book in a serie, especially on the transition part of the story. I find this sequel well conducted, the characters are still as well written and the alchemy in Zera and the prince is there. So this is a solid follow up and the end, I think the third volume will not disappoint me either.
Profile Image for Patty Smith.
226 reviews88 followers
December 5, 2019
Many thanks to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and Sara Wolf for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of Find Me Their Bones. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

*If you haven’t read “Bring Me Their Hearts”, the first of the series, beware of spoilers below.

“Find Me Their Bones” picks up immediately from where the first book ends. Princess Varia is alive, Zera went full Heartless on Gavik’s men but only because they were going to kill Prince Lucien. Now that everyone knows that Zera is a Heartless, they are afraid of her. They feel betrayed knowing that she was only getting close to Lucien for his heart. Varia falls back into her role of heir apparent but is keeping a secret from her family. She is a witch and now she is Zera’s witch. She tricked Zera into revealing her witch’s name and now Varia controls Zera’s heart. She has a special mission that only Zera can perform. Varia has a mission. She wants to be able to control both her people and the witches. And she can’t do it without an army of her own.

Similar to the first book, I really enjoyed the world that Wolf has created as well as the story. There are new twists, new characters and lots of fantasy elements that made this second book exciting and interesting. The problem that I had in the first book is even more pronounced in this story and that is the relationship between Lucien and Zera. At least in the first book they were falling in love with each other. This book is entirely one dimensional and stereotypical. Lucien’s feelings are hurt so he is mad at Zera. Zera feels bad and thinks Lucien is better off without her so she continues the ruse of pretending to not like him.

I can’t take the suffering in silence. The martyrdom. She will sacrifice her happiness for Lucien. She pushes all of her friends away with the “It’s best for everyone if they don’t like me”. From beginning to end this is the underlying element. It is this overriding message that has been a disservice to girls and women. Whether it is pre-teens, teenage girls, or women that read this, this is not a sentiment that women should aspire to imitate. This is the very thing we have been fighting against. With so many better, more modern female characters being written, I would have been happier without this all too familiar behaviour. Plus it made my blood boil the whole time.

There is a third planned in the series and I will be reading it. I can overlook the female issue because I’m a grown-ass woman. Although I’m pretty sure how it is going to end, it is the how Wolf gets there that will make it interesting.
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