The Bone Charmer

The Bone Charmer #1

by Breeana Shields

“Tomorrow, my future will be decided by my dead gran’s finger bones. It’s how my whole life has been determined—with bones and blood and snapping flames.”

On the day of Saskia’s kenning—a special bone reading that determines the apprenticeships of all seventeen-year-olds—her worst fear comes true. She receives an assignment to train as a Bone Charmer, a seer, like her mother.

Saskia knows her mother saw multiple paths for her, yet chose the one she knew Saskia wouldn’t want. Their argument leads to a fracture in one of the bones, with the devastating result of splitting Saskia’s future.

Now she will live her two potential paths one where she’s forced to confront her magic, and one where she tries to run from it. But when both paths become entangled in the plot of a rogue Charmer, Saskia learns that no future is safe, and some choices have unimaginable consequences. Only one future can survive. And Saskia’s life is in danger in both.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal

403 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 21, 2019

About the author

Breeana Shields is an award-winning author of fantasy novels for teens including THE SPLENDOR, THE BONE CHARMER, and POISON'S KISS.

When she’s not writing, Breeana loves reading, traveling, and playing board games with her extremely competitive family. She lives near Washington D.C. with her husband, her three children, and two adorable, but spoiled dogs.

Reviews

[Breeana Shields]

UPDATE 1/28: The cover for THE BONE CHARMER is live, and I couldn't be more excited! This gorgeous cover was designed by Kylie Alexander and illustrated by Mina Price. I love the exquisite attention to detail and how many of the story elements they captured in both of Saskia's realities.

I hope you love the cover as much as I do, and I seriously can't wait to share this book with all of you!

[Scrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviews like this can also be found on my blog, Vicariously & Voraciously

ARC received via Netgalley for a fair review
Publish date: May 21, 2019

In a world where your future can be told by a bone charmer, society is balanced by those who can set a person on the best fit path. But when Saskia has her own reading and is given a future she didn’t think she wanted she accidentally breaks a bone in her reading. The breaking of the bone splits her future into two and she must find a way to consolidate them as well as piece the bone back together before she may cease to exist. All the while something seedier is playing in the background that brings danger lurking at her door.

The Story-
This book was so much more than I expected! At first I only really cared about one of the POV, but I learned to cherish both sides of the story. Obviously in the end one of the stories is thought to stop existing, but I was definitely set up for a surprise with the direction the story went.

Fighting the future is reminiscent of time travel and going back in in time to fix things. Except instead of changing something in the past and then seeing the reaction you don’t quite know if the future is what your reaction is going to be? Anyway, all if it is so mind boggling and I guess I can understand how some people don’t really care for futures/time travel books, but when they’re done this well I relish it.

The World Building-
So the world building isn’t super in depth. We have this society where there are people with bone magic (and people who don’t have it to) and they get some special training to hone their skills. The skill vary depending on the bone magic, and none are really put in depth, but I don’t think I would have appreciated the book as much if a thorough report of how each one worked was included. The amount that was there was sufficient to keep the plot going. I loved the multiple dimensions to bone magic. It wasn’t just that Saskia was read to be a bone charmer, but the type of bone charmer she was – and the fact that there were types as opposed to one all seeing person was clever. I love that there was unraveling of the past, seeing the future, and in her case seeing the current happenings.

I think it’s important to remember that the book is called Bone Charmer, which means we don’t really need to know all about the society and where they live and what it looks like etc. The story was about the bone charmer. Therefore, the fact that I am normally enthralled with world building, I was still satisfied with what amount I got. The focus was on that particular magic and that was enough. If you’re expecting a lot of differential in the bone/blood magic included in this, there really isn’t much going on, so please don’t be disappointed. Aside from different types of bones doing different readings, and the infusion of blood with the readings, there isn’t too much to it.

There was a little bit on how the society revolved around these bone readings and I found it super intriguing, because not everyone could get one and there are obviously more than just the regular professions. So it ended up being this idea of this magic that is built upon an already functioning, non-magical type of world. There was one instance in fact of how the dangers on how one could overly spend and invest in bone readings and how that money could be better spent equalizing the bone readings to those of lower classes.

I loved the allegory seen there that portrayed the idea of something that should be accessible to everyone as it being a common right, not just something extra for those who can afford it.


The Characters-
Saskia is such an entitled brat in the beginning that I almost immediately hated her. I loved her character ARC and how she learned through her own unsheltered experiences how to view the world. Her whole life was somewhat controlled by her mother as she constantly was able to do bone readings on her as she was growing up (her mother is a bone charmer as well) and the way she breaks the barriers that her mother’s path sent her on was smoothly written. She obviously stumbled a little on the way, but I love how she comes through at the end. Despite her desires she still holds true to her nature, and is completely honest with herself if not with others.

The Soundtrack-
Maren Morris – The Bones

[Sheila G · Rating 4 out of 5]

See this full review along with others on my blog at foalsfictionandfiligree.com

I received an ARC of this book from Page Street Kids via Netgcalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!



All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.



Content Warning: Death, Murder, Overall morbid vibe with the theme of bones

Tomorrow my future will be decided by my dead gran’s finger bones. It’s how my whole life has been determined--with bones and blood and snapping flames.

The Bone Charmer is a twisty little devious book---and I absolutely loved it! To be completely honest, I’ve never read anything quite like it. The Bone Charmer is creative, exploratory, and crafty. You’ll notice that my review for this book will be shorter than my normal reviews, because I just don’t want to spoil anything for anyone (which, should be everyone) who picks up this book! It’d be very difficult to talk about certain topics without it becoming spoilery, so I just won’t.

Saskia is the protagonist. Living in the town of Midwood, in a world where the bones of ancestors hold sway for everything, life looks very different.

”Masons craft the bone flutes that Watchers use to control animals and the weapons that Breakers use to protect our country. Mixers blend bone potions that Healers use to treat patients. And, of course, Charmers perform readings on us all.”

Saskia comes from a family of Bone Charmers--those who have the ability to read the past, present, and/or future depending on their sight ability. First sight is past, second sight the present, and third sight is the future. In this world, Bone Charmers are the most esteemed--as they are the “guides” for people of the community. When adolescents reach the age of seventeen, they are matched with their future apprenticeships through the Kenning--as well as their future partner.

Not having much experience with the Sight herself, Saskia’s afraid that her abilities will cause her to do harm instead of good. Her mother has the third sight, and can see into the future, which obviously causes issues for Saskia’s future. She and her mother have differing opinions of what she should pursue. After her Kenning, Saskia disagrees with her mother about the path that was chosen for her, and she ends up breaking a bone that was used in the reading of her future--also done by her mother. When the bone breaks, Saskia also has to live out the two different paths--the one her mom chose for her, and the one she chose for herself--until her fate is decided.

While I absolutely loved this concept, I had issues with two aspects. First, I have no idea what the characters looked like. It was really hard to feel attached to characters because they simply weren’t fleshed out. Secondly, there was very little world building, which I was so disappointed about! There are several elements of this world that sounded amazing from the few descriptions given, but that was it! I want so much more!!!.

Despite this, I really enjoyed this book. The ending is set up for a sequel, so I will anxiously be looking forward to that!

Vulgarity: None that I recall.
Sexual content: Minimal.
Violence: Quite a bit--considering there is a murder scene.

My Rating: ★★★★

My Blog ¦ Bookstagram ¦ Twitter ¦ Pinterest ¦ Facebook

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!

I had pretty high hopes for this one, but I'm quite disappointed: the writing was good, but the world and characters were weak.

This book reminded me strongly of Tessa Gratton's Strange Grace - the heroine, Saskia, is the daughter of the town's leading Bone Charmer, a witch who uses bones to see the future. But when a bone-reading to see her future goes wrong, Saskia becomes trapped in two realities. In one reality, she's been paired with Bram, a boy she's spent her life being terrified of; in another, she's with Declan, a boy she used to love but is now acting suspiciously.

In both realities, she's in danger.

Okay, so first of all: the worldbuilding was weak and confusing .

There are a whole bunch of bone magics available - in addition to bone charming, there's bone breaking, bone singing, etc. I struggled to keep these different areas clear in my head. It doesn't help that each individual bone magic seems to have a bunch of other names too, e.g. bone singers are also called Watchers. Even Saskia's own area of expertise, bone charming, wasn't always explained very well; I have absolutely no idea of how the other areas work.

The physical worldbuilding was also poor. Nothing about this fantasy country is described. What's their system of government? Who rules them? Are there other countries in this universe? If not, why not? The character names were all clearly Anglicised, but there was zero description of anything not in front of Saskia's own nose.

That includes characters. I know Declan and Bram are blond and dark-haired, respectively, and I think Saskia is blonde too. But I have no real idea of what any of the characters look like.

The romance was astoundingly weak. In fact, I'm not sure I'd even say there's a romance. We honestly learn nothing about Declan, let alone his motivations, and she barely interacts with Bram.

Overall

There must be a sequel planned, because the ending was extremely open and non-conclusive, but I'm not sure I have enough interest to read it.

[Blog] - [Bookstagram]

[Susana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two five star reads in a row. The world must be coming to an end. :D

TW's: Death of loved ones

This is a brilliant imaginative story, vividly drawn, of a world in which past/present and future can be seen in a reading of bones, by those who have the power to do so.
The beginning can be a little misleading, in the sense that there's this moment in which the reader can be left thinking, "oh, this is just the usual ya romance with a love triangle", but don't let yourself be fooled, because this is so much more!
Told in a dual pov perfectly done, the story at times bitter and gruesome, had the perfect balance.
I was completely invested in the two pov's, something that I didn't thought was going to happen; but there's so much happening, so many twists and turns!
And heartbreak, and gruesome parts, so get ready for that.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is utterly brilliant. I texted a fellow author last night after I finished (because this is what we do) to hash out my thoughts and feelings, but I had nothing negative to say. The characters are well drawn, the world building and magic system are exquisite, the plotting (including dual realities) is spot on. I was worried I would be more invested in one storyline than the other, but by the end I realized I cared for both of them equally. Smart and expertly crafted. Read it. 😉

[Tucker Almengor]

Many thanks to Page Street Kids for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

| Goodreads | Blog | Twitch | Pinterest |

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars

This was such a good story but I did find myself confused at times. I loved how the 2 timelines ended up merging at times and coming together. I can't wait to find out what happens in the 2nd book...especially with Bram!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very impressed with this book! It took me a few chapters to really settle into the way that Breeana Shields wanted to tell this story, but once I was there I was hooked. Saskia's life has has always been dictated by bone reading. Each moment painstakingly created so that she'll stay on the path to her happiest life. That is, until it's her turn to find her true calling. I can't remember if I knew that this book was about to split into two stories, or not, but I can tell you that it's a wonderful way to navigate Saskia's journey.

First off, let me be the first to assure you that there is no love triangle in The Bone Charmer. You have no idea how happy that made me, since that's one of my pain points in YA lately. Instead, there are two very seperate romances here. As Saskia's life splits off, one road leading to what she believed she wanted and one road leading to what her mother believed was best for her, these two romances grow in very different ways. I absolutely loved how Shields doesn't shy away from putting Saskia through all manner of trials. As she follows each of these paths, she learns more and more about herself, her mother, and the two boys who she has been matched two. The idea that we don't always know what is best for us, even if we are so sure of it, is heavily featured in this story. It's perfection.

It's honestly tough to say too much more about the plot without giving anything important away, so I'll start focusing on the world building instead. In Saskia's world, as I mentioned above, bone readings are part of life. Matches, both with jobs and with romantic partners, are an essential part of a person's future. It was fascinating watching the way that this played out, in a place like Midwood. Much like our own world, the people with the most money always seemed to have an advantage over those who were poorer. The fact that Saskia's mother, the bone charmer herself, was so upset about that made me smile. This book speaks of "wild magic" and how it used to grow without monetary interference. As I found my way through Saskia's story I saw how that could both help, and hurt, a civilization. There's a lot of deep thoughts in this book, hidden in a way that almost makes them invisible. I loved every minute of it.

Was this book perfect? Perhaps not. There were a lot of things I wished for more of. I wanted more time with Saskia's potential matches. I would have loved more background on Saskia's family, and especially on her amazing mother. While the magic system was fairly well fleshed out, I also wished there would have been more time spent with Saskia as she learned to grow her abilities. I do believe that this is the first book in a series though, so I have hope! There's still time for all of this to become a reality.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my read through of this book! I'd recommend it to those out there who love "sliding doors" stories, and are looking for something without a love triangle. You might just enjoy it as much as I did.

[Samm | Sassenach the Book Wizard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took my ridiculous ass like 10 months to read this but I finished it and thoroughly enjoyed it!

[The Nerd Daily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice

The Bone Charmer by Breeana Shields is a phenomenal exploration of a young woman’s desire to take fate into her own hands, and how it can go so devastatingly wrong. I was hooked from the start, with these brooding characters full of secrets and lies. Our heroine is left to tease out the way to her salvation with nothing but her wits, and the bone magic in her veins. This was exactly the kind of book to get me out of my reading slump. What makes this even better is that the world in this story has been split into two realities, and despite what you may be hoping for…you can be sure fate is the most unpredictable thing of all.

In Saskia’s world bones are the source of all power and she and the women of her family come from a long line of Bone Charmers; seers that can reveal the past, present, or future paths for the people of Midwood. On the day of Saskia’s kenning (the bone ritual that will reveal her apprenticeship), her worst fears are realised. Not only will she become a Bone Charmer like her mother, but she’s also been matched with Bram, a young man with tattoos on his hands and a seemingly violent past. Unhappy with the turn of events and knowing her mother deliberately chose the path Saskia didn’t want, she argues with her mother, resulting in the breaking of the bone used in her kenning. A bad omen to be sure, and one with catastrophic consequences. For now instead of one future, Saskia’s future has become split in two, and she must now live two lives simultaneously. Unfortunately for her, there are dangers awaiting her. She needs to figure out how to fix it before it’s too late and there’s no future for her at all.

With that summary out of the way, let’s talk about this book! I was definitely sceptical of how this story would play out with two separate paths happening simultaneously, but it honestly flows so well. You know as much as both Saskia’s know, and as the story goes on the pieces come together the way a puzzle would. The world building is simple and adequate, nothing too elaborate going on. The magic system is something that I would have loved a little more elaboration on because while I got the general gist of all the types of bone magic that exist in the world, I wanted to delve a little more. This is definitely an aspect I would love to see explored more in the following book. That being said, I quite loved the air of mystery that permeated throughout the book, even through the end.

Character-wise, I would definitely say that I felt that Saskia had the most to grow and learn in the story. She’s very naive and brash, and driven by her emotions. As you can guess, this definitely gets her into more trouble than actually helping her solve her problems. Her love interests Bram and Declan I wanted to get to know a little better than we did. There is a lot of potential for growth for both of these characters, and I think we’re building to that, but that makes the romance in this story a definite slow burn. In both worlds, you get to see the same characters, but maybe in a different light than before. And the villain! I loved that there was some vulnerability there (however brief it may have been), giving us some hint as to what was motivating his actions. I also didn’t see the villain coming, so needless to say I felt quite betrayed by my own reader’s intuition.

There’s such a melancholy that Saskia has about seemingly having this predetermined life when there are so many paths that could have been chosen. That was something I loved to see explored. The relationship between mother and daughter is very thoughtfully looked at and examined. However, themes of free will or a predestined fate as well as family are what really made this such an interesting read for me. I loved the implications that magic has on these themes. Especially how bone magic affects the narrative of free-will vs. predestined fate. The realizations that she makes throughout the story help the reader come to the understanding that the future is malleable, despite our best efforts and knowledge, we’re only in control of how we choose to react to those situations.

Honestly, there wasn’t much I didn’t love about the book. Maybe a little more world building and a better explanation of the magic system, but other than that I fell in love with this book and it’s characters…especially Saskia and Bram. I need to know what happens next! I’m rating this book a 9/10! Not only did it get me out of my reading slump, but gave me lots of things to think about. Pick it up if you get the chance and let me know your thoughts! I’d love to know what you think.

[Brenda Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Sliding Doors-esque story. The two timelines Saskia ends up in were both so intriguing that they kept me turning the pages. Bram totally stole my heart! The magic, world, and characters are well-crafted and compelling. I loved how The Bone Charmer explores the consequences of choices and their outcomes. The Bone Charmer is a gripping read that will charm you and keep you up late at night reading until the end.

[Isabella K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was one of the lucky people who got to read this book early. The Bone Charmer is an intriguing fantasy that I just couldn’t put down! It’s thought-provoking and romantic in all the right ways. Easily in my top 5 favorite books!

[- The Polybrary - · Rating 4 out of 5]

PLEASE tell me there will be a sequel to this!! RTC!

[Camillea Camillea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to a world where bones hold power and decides the fate of all! The Bone Charmer is a quiet fantasy book about a girl who breaks fate and finds herself living two different realities. When I began reading The Bone Charmer, I was immediately drawn in by Breeana Shields writing. The author writes a beautiful story that is a blend of fantasy and mystery. The Bone Charmer is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year!

The Bone Charmer by Breeana Shields is a unique fantasy world where bones are a commodity and the source of all magic. I absolutely fell in love with the macabre of it all! The Bone Charmer is about a girl walking two different paths towards an unknown future. Hence, the book is formatted with two different timelines.

We are introduced to a world where bones are used in a ritual called kenning; it is during this ritual that the Bone Charmer looks in the various possible futures of the person and then decides what path is best for them. Saskia’s mother is the Bone Charmer of Midwood village – a profession her mother hopes Saskia will follow. But Saskia has other dreams for herself but the bones decide the future and fate of everyone.

In this world, the people rely on the bones to lead their life. Wealthy people even splurge on bone readings to make smallest decisions. While this is the normalcy, as a reader I found it a bit horrifying. I could not imagine a life where my fate was not mine or that someone could look into every possible future and know me better than my myself.

Bone Charmers are those who can see either the past, the present, or the future. But there are others such Breakers who have the power to break bones, Healers who have the power to heal, Watchers who can control animals through the bones, Mixers who create potions using bones, and then are those without magic who work to provide these bones to the people.

The magic system of the bones in The Bone Charmer was very fascinating and though morbid, I sped through the book wanting to know about the way of the world. The bones influence so much of the way of life in The Bone Charmer society.

Although I did like the characters in the book, they were not as fully fleshed as I had hoped for. The book is told in two timelines – one where Saskia continues her mother’s path of a Bone Charmer and one where she forsakes her magic to become a tutor. Both realities were interesting to read of but there was also enough parallel happenings to connect the stories. With the two realities we are introduced to both the magical and mundane side of the world in The Bone Charmer. So much of the story revolved around Saskia and her attempts to escape the bones fate for her, but the secondary characters were just as interesting.

Fate is the ability to see the choices people will likely make. It doesn’t rob freedom.

I loved knowing more about Saskia’s mother; the mother-daughter relationship in the book was an emotional one. It was not completely amicable as Saskia and her mother butted heads so often but there was a deep love between them that gave heart to the story. Saskia’s friendship with Bram and Ami made me smile throughout the book. I especially loved reading how Bram and Saskia slowly rebuilt their friendship.

The story of The Bone Charmer is fraught with mystery and an antagonist whose intentions, unfortunately, were not made clear in book one. This was a bit annoying as it came off as a classic revenge trope but judging with the way things ended, it feels there is so much that is unresolved and I hope a sequel will be written. I think this story deserves a sequel to make it more satisfying to the readers.

My mother is silent. It’s the kind of silence that’s more than just a lack of sound. It’s a hungry silence, one that consumes everything around it – the things said, the things unsaid, all the things that will be said in the future. A silence so full it bulges at the edges.

Overall, I found The Bone Charmer to be a book with beautiful world-building and even more beautiful prose. Breeana Shields has a way writing that just strikes the reader’s heart. She describes emotions vividly and with beautiful metaphors. She translates hurt and longing with a heaviness that really solidified Saskia’s relationship with her mother, and with Bram, and the flows smoothly into nostalgia and childhood glee when Saskia speaks of her father, or Declan, or Ami.

The Bone Charmer is a character driven fantasy book that I highly recommend. If you like your reads with a bit of a macabre, a hate to love trope, and a mother & daughter trying to fix their relationship, The Bone Charmer is the right pick. You will love the beautiful writing and unique magic system Breeana Shields introduces us to.

Thank you to the author and The Fantastic Flying Book Club for having me on the blog tour and for providing me with a review copy of the book. This does not affect my review in any way!

Find me at Camillea Reads || Twitter || Instagram

[SpookyBookworm BookwormFiles · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bone Charmer is one of those rare books that have left me feeling more than a little conflicted. On the one hand, it’s a well-written and fun book that I enjoyed very much and devoured in a just a few days…but on the other hand it’s an acutely flawed book that left me feeling frustrated and semi-underwhelmed, which is a fairly annoying place to be in when finishing a book.

Let’s start with the aspects of the book that didn’t work. First, the utter lack of world building is infuriating. I know next to nothing about this universe, how it functions, and the people that reside in it. Is this the only country in this universe? If not, how does this country work in relation to others? Do other countries have magic? Why do only some people have magic? I have no answers to any of these questions. I’m not even sure what the people in this world look like, what they are wearing (other than cloaks, they are always wearing cloaks), the style of architecture, etc. Are the roads paved? Do they ride horses or just walk? They have boats, but do they have any other modes of transportation? What is the extent of their technology? I kept waiting for something to be described for more than a brief sentence (if at all), and I kept coming up with nothing. I get irritated with books that spend too much time on set dressing, but at least they give you something to go on.

The character building is another rather weak point in the story. We learn the most about Saskia—our MC—but even what we know about her is fairly limited. The other characters either have murky and unclear motivations/backgrounds, or they have none at all and they feel totally extraneous. So much of the story revolves around Saskia and her mother, but by the end of the story her mother felt more like an afterthought than an incredibly important character. The Big Bad was also not fleshed out at all, and his motivations felt so shallow as to be nonexistent. I’m assuming some of this will be built on in the next book, but their needs to be at least some foundation for them in book one. One character in particular (who I won’t name due to spoilers) was incredibly important to the story, and yet had absolutely no character building or motivation at all. It wasn’t so horrible as to make the book unreadable, but it does make the story feel shallow and unfulfilling.

Having said all of that, I still really enjoyed the story, which is a testament to how lovely the writing is and the strength of the concept. The magical system is intricate, unique, fun, and more than a little creepy (which I’m all about), and I’m hoping it is explored more in book two. I was also impressed that I found myself rooting equally for both of Saskia’s timelines, and I was genuinely concerned for the people in each of them. It’s so disappointing, then, that the other aspects of the book were so lacking because if it is this engaging then think of what it could have been like with world building and character arcs.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I might even read book two, but if the lack of world building and character arcs aren’t addressed I don’t think the concept can carry a second book.

[Katie Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating story that will leave you eager for more!

In a world where seventeen-year-olds are assigned a future based on a kenning, or reading of the bones, Saskia gets in an argument with her mother and breaks one of the bones, splintering her future into two different paths. The story unfolds following each timeline, alternating between the two possible futures for Saskia. The novel explores the themes of fate versus choice, as well as the sacrifices we make for the ones we love. I was fascinated by both of Saskia’s futures, and by both boys vying for her heart. In both timelines, Saskia uncovers secrets and dark magic that threaten her present and her future, and she must draw on reserves of internal strength to survive.

With both a tightly-woven plot and an intense beating heart, The Bone Charmer will keep you breathlessly reading until the final page.

[Colleen Houck]

The formatting of this book was exceptional. Loved going back and forth between the two parallel universes and seeing how the story was unfolding. What a brilliant way to weave a tale! The whole concept of reading bones to see the past, present, or future in visions is fascinating. I really hope there's more to come in this universe. I'm not ready to let go of these characters yet.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down. This was a fun, fresh, and confusing (in a good way) YA book. Super highly recommended.

[Nikol · Rating 5 out of 5]

** I received a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **

The Bone Charmer by Breeana Shields is a macabre fantasy full of bone magic (yes, reading your past, present, and future from both animal and human bones is a thing in this book and it’s super weird at first, but super interesting after a few chapters) with a focus on the issues of trust, betrayal, and love. Good fantasy worlds are well-structured and believable - and that’s also the case for the world of The Bone Charmer in which the main heroine, Saskia, lives. It’s a bit of a macabre world with a touch of melancholy, uncertainty, and sadness in its undertones; a world in which after you die, you get tied up to a tree where you rot until there’s only the bones left. A world, where human and animal bones are not only used in magical readings, but also turned into checkerboards or whole mansions. In fact, it is a fantasy world that stands on the verge of turning into a horror story. Or, rather a terror story, really, since during the reading, you’ll find yourself feeling this slight, unsettling sensation tugging at you and letting you know, without words, that this new fantasy world is controlled by an unseen, but almost certainly malicious group of people.

You get into the story right at the moment when Saskia and a handful of other sixteen years old kids are about to undergo a kenning - a magical reading from human or animal bones that will seal them to one of their possible fates that the bone reader can foresee. And since it’s Saskia’s mother who performs all the readings for the small town of Midwood, well… let’s just say that Saskia appears in the involuntary role of the teacher’s pet, because bone charmers are wealthy, respected, and have all the possibilities, while the rest of the society is… more or less normal, hence often poor. Since Saskia’s mother is skilled at reading the future, she’s pretty much used to feeling like she has no free will in her life - because her mother literally sees all (a nightmare, really, can you even imagine?!). So when the kenning comes, Saskia is a bit (a lot) freaked out that her mother will choose a future for her that Saskia herself wouldn’t want to live. Aaaand… to find out whether the kenning goes well, you’ll have to read The Bone Charmer yourself (wicked, I know).

The fantasy world that Shields paints and her writing style are both strongly addictive. This is partly because Shields never draws the whole picture, just snippets, and partly because of the whole bone magic possibilities; in The Bone Charmer, you do not get just one, but two alternate stories happening at parallel yet featuring the same characters - strangely enough, both plotlines are intriguing and never fail to entertain you. As we follow Saskia through the story, we only get to see the world through her limited point of view. And even though she comes from a family of bone charmers, she is not a bone charmer herself and as such is as clueless as the reader when it comes to all the nooks and crannies of the magic readings and abilities. Moreover, the main plotline quite nicely turns away from the, nowadays a bit well-worn, magic apprentice stuff towards a detective storyline. But even though the story is full of magic and the pursuit of an unknown danger, the main focus always stays on the themes of family, fate, free will, and emotions. What Saskia tries to figure out throughout the story - notwithstanding the detective plot - is what Shields describes via a number of beautiful, clean metaphors - how far love reaches, how much of free will do we really have, and what would happen in a world where past, present, and future can be foreseen.

[Jenny (Bookbookowl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Saskia's bone reading, which will determine her future career path and future love match, goes wrong, her future is split into two paths.  On one path, Saskia will go on to train as a bone charmer and be matched with a boy she fears has a violent past, and on the other she'll train as a tutor and be matched with the boy she already wants to be with.

As we follow Saskia's parallel paths, she realises she's in danger in both of them, and only one path can continue in the end - but which will it be?

I absolutely loved this book.  The whole 'Sliding Doors' theme was fantastic and I found myself not wanting to put it down until I'd finished!  It was full of intrigue and betrayal and to be honest, I was hooked from the first sentence.  The magic system was interesting, not too complicated and well described, which kept the book moving along at a good pace.  Sometimes I feel like authors either gloss over how particular magical abilities work, or go the other way and overcomplicate it. The Bone Charmer got it just right for me.  

Saskia (in both timelines) was a wonderful and flawed character and I appreciated a deviation away from 'ordinary girl suddenly becomes all powerful and saves the world'.  I also really loved Bram and enjoyed piecing his history, and the meaning of his tattoos, together. 

I was completely captivated by this book, and although I'm not sure whether there will be a sequel, I really hope there is!


MY BLOG ~ INSTAGRAM

[Staci Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for my early copy of this title!!

"Im not sure how many more fractures I can withstand, until I crumble." - Saskia

Synopsis-
On the day of Saskia’s kenning—a special bone reading that determines the apprenticeships of all seventeen-year-olds—her worst fear comes true. She receives an assignment to train as a Bone Charmer, a seer, like her mother.

Saskia knows her mother saw multiple paths for her, yet chose the one she knew Saskia wouldn’t want. Their argument leads to a fracture in one of the bones, with the devastating result of splitting Saskia’s future.

Now she will live her two potential paths simultaneously: one where she’s forced to confront her magic, and one where she tries to run from it. But when both paths become entangled in the plot of a rogue Charmer, Saskia learns that no future is safe, and some choices have unimaginable consequences. Only one future can survive. And Saskia’s life is in danger in both.

Thoughts:
A very different approach and the split timeline was incredible as a reader giving various perspectives, and a broader look at character development, and world building!! Saskia is a great female main character with traits that every reader can relate to, as well as enjoy throughout the entire reading experience. In a lot of ways it is like watching her grow, watching the other characters grow as well through her magic ad split timelines. The magic was incredibly different, and I love the combo of Magic used to create it!! Original, delightful, and darkly entertaining!! Murder, romance, betrayal, and much more bring this story to a five on my list this year!!

[Samantha Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly struggling to find any reason not to give this one 5 stars, so 5 stars it shall have. I absolutely loved the structure of the story. It could have easily gone weird, but Breeana Shields does a great job of controlling the weirdness.

Highly recommend, can't wait for more. Full review coming soon to the blog.

[KT · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got my hands on an ARC of The Bone Charmer, and I hated having to give it back. This is a book I plan to reread the second it comes out. It's one of the most unique and captivating YA fantasies I've read in years. Saskia is lovable, strong, flawed, and impossible not to root for. The magic system was absolutely fascinating, and the two timelines had me totally on the edge of my seat. The twists and turns paid off beautifully, and the ending was the right kind of inevitable. Furthermore, Breeana Shields is a beautiful writer--she has a way of describing familiar emotions just a little differently than other authors, and it's always so accessible and evocative. I loved everything about this story. I'm already eager for the finale, and the book isn't even out yet! Five enthusiastic stars!!

[Kali Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fabulous book! I can’t believe how well executed this was, especially with the alternate realities. This was such a beautiful read!

[Shannon Miz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight .

Oh noes, the dreaded DNF! I have only DNFed 6 books before this one, so yeah. Here's the thing: I don't think this one was necessarily bad, I just think try as I might, I could not get into it. And I wanted to, oh how I wanted to! This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. So I am not ruling out trying again? I got to I think 31% before tagging out which is a pretty good go of it.

My real issue was that I could not care about Saskia in either world. She was just not compelling to me as a main character, and as such I didn't really care about what happened to her. And the world-building was lacking for me. I wanted to have some background on where we were, how this magic system worked, etc, and I had a lot of trouble with the plot because I didn't understand why any of what was happening was happening.

It does have quite a few high reviews, so this could be a personal thing, but I gave it several chances and it just didn't work for me. Sadness.

Bottom Line: I hate DNFing, especially books that I was super excited for, but here we are.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars, a surprising and intense read! Can't wait to get book 2.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I was swept up in this tale of bones and magic. Plus that cover is GORGEOUS.

[Betwixt the Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Saskia’s world, bones are the source of all power. They tell the future, reveal the past, and expose secrets in the present. Each village has a designated seer who performs readings for the townsfolk, and in Midwood, the Bone Charmer is Saskia’s mother.

On the day of her kenning—a special bone reading that determines the apprenticeships of all seventeen-year-olds—Saskia’s worst fears come true. She receives an assignment to train as a Bone Charmer, like her mother, and even worse, a match-making reading that pairs her with Bram—a boy who has suspicious tattoos that hint of violence.

Saskia knows her mother saw multiple paths for her, yet chose one she knew Saskia wouldn’t want. Their argument leads to a fracture in one of the bones. Broken bones are always bad luck, but this particular set of bones have been infused with extra magic, and so the break has devastating consequences—Saskia’s future has split as well. Now she will live her two potential paths simultaneously. Only one future can survive. And Saskia’s life is in danger in both.

Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: AHHHHHH MY HEART HURTS SO BADLY; this was a wildly fantastic journey; what was up with that ending, though?!; I need more of this--I need more of this right now; complex, well-rounded characters; surprising from beginning to end

HUGE thanks to Breeana Shields, Page Street Kids Publishing, the Fantastic Flying Book Club, and Netgalley for sending complimentary galleys my way! This in no instance altered my read of or opinion on this title.

It's always been a prickly thing between us, her insight and my ignorance. And the other way around, too. The bones can't show her my heart.

With that said... I need you all to stop what you're doing. I need you to stop what you're doing RIGHT NOW and go order this book, because oh, my PENGUINS, is this book fantastic. I especially want to take a moment to call out the dual perspectives that occur....from two very different "realities" / alternate timelines. Breeana Shields put a lot of thought and insight into crafting the realities within in very different, equally surprising ways. Every step through these pages was honed with purple prose and so, so many different heartstrings. I will be drooling over this book for a long while to come -- it's been SO long since I last gave a book 5 Penguins, after all.

There was a moment in this book where I thought I knew where we were headed. I thought I KNEW where Breeana Shields was leading me. I was wrong...and I was absolutely DEVASTATED when I realized it, even as elated as I was when I continued reading and watched the rest of the story unfold. I'll admit, though, that I was a bit disappointed with the ending. It felt TOO abrupt; there was a sense of finality there that I don't think has a place at that point of the story, given there are still some loose ends I need to have tied up. I can't imagine not seeing how the rest of everything plays out...but I suppose, if I have to, that's what I'll learn to do.

I instruct my eyes to open, but they won't obey. It's too much effort. And so I give up and let the darkness swallow me, let it sweep me away to a place where pain doesn't exist and hearts can't be broken.

This was a fantastically atmospheric, beautifully crafted read, and I cannot wait to see what Breeana Shields does next with her writing genius. If you've been waiting for a sign to put this book on your "need to order" list, let this review be it--you'll not regret it! I recommend this read for lovers of alternate timelines, strong-willed characters, and surprising plot points. Let the bones charm you, Penguins, and remember: every choice you make casts more than just one change.

[Chelsies Reading Escape · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it easy to insert myself into the main characters perspective. She developped from seeking a quiet and safe life to risking it all to uncover the truth. There were some of Saskias decisions that didnt completely make sense to me. For example her going to a black market ship without telling anyone, or how she kept looking for a vein to use the needle when she clearly didnt need one the first time she used it. I enjoyed Saskias complicated relationship with her mother and how she comes to realize that shes been unfairly hard on her. One example was when she complains her mother doesnt care about her safety and later on says her mothers always been too over protective. Her mothers not the only one she's been hard on, we also get a cute hate to love romance where she's been hard on the love interest without truly knowing him. I was happy to see some female friendships, but it felt like she kept them at arms length so we didnt get to explore the friendships as much as I was hoping too.

Both of Saskias possible futures were very compelling, and I liked that she still felt like herself in both time lines. I loved how in one future her reading sends her on the path she hoped to avoid while the other gave her exactly what she wished for. I was excited to see where each would lead and if they're would be any similarities between them. The contrast between the reassurance of knowing ones future and feeling caged by it was fantastic. I enjoyed seeing Saskia figure out that fate and freedom can coexist. It had a wonderful message about believing that our decisions can shape our future while still trusting that things happen for a reason even if its not what we want right now. The mystery and danger in both futures was very gripping with its shocking betrayals and sinister villain. I did find it odd the villain didnt have protection against magic though. I had some predictions, but for the most part I wasnt sure in what direction the author would take the story.

The switch between the two time lines was well paced and felt cohesive despite the situations being different. The writing had an easy flow to it with a good amount of dialogue. I really enjoyed how the bone magic was completely integrated in every aspect of the world and the way it played an important role in the characters lives. It was such a fascinating and intricate magic system. The bones have all kinds of different uses and people with different abilities to use them. I did find Saskias second sight a little confusing at first, but it does get explained as the story progresses. I thought the tattoos that show up after an emotional moment was an awesome magical feature. Theres also a whole castle made of bones where people with magic go to learn their craft, and that school setting was a lot of fun. I wish we got a bit more history or lore on how bone magic came about, but overall it was well developped and captivating. I really hope we get more books in this world.

*This book was received for an honest review