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Bones of the Gods #1
Bones of the Gods
A soul united. A kingdom restored. A well run dry that flows with the blood of a love long lost. With your heart closed, the door will not open.
In the kingdom of Iskrendour, magic is anathema. Only the Crows are permitted their engineered shape-shifting—and only then, for the good of the kingdom, where they act as spies and assassins for the Crown.
As a Crow, Fenn has been taught her life holds no meaning outside of service to the king. When he sends her and Bastien, the surly, devilishly handsome scout who owes her a life debt, on a secret mission to infiltrate the kingdom of Maehryth, she believes her task to be both righteous and straightforward—it is for the Crown, after all, and the king’s orders are above all else.
But before she can complete her assignment, Fenn is confronted with a series of revelations about the truth of her task and her heritage. Her mission is thrown off course by her pursuit for answers and the certainty that her destiny is larger than spying for the king. Her choices are complicated further by the strange attraction she feels toward both Bastien and the woman he’s oath-bound to serve.
The gods have their fingers in her destiny and she must find a way to choose between her loyalty to duty and her heart. Her past and the secrets buried there are the keys to saving not just Iskrendour but the whole continent of Araspeyha from ruin at the hands of a power-hungry man who seeks the complete abolition of magic.
In the kingdom of Iskrendour, magic is anathema. Only the Crows are permitted their engineered shape-shifting—and only then, for the good of the kingdom, where they act as spies and assassins for the Crown.
As a Crow, Fenn has been taught her life holds no meaning outside of service to the king. When he sends her and Bastien, the surly, devilishly handsome scout who owes her a life debt, on a secret mission to infiltrate the kingdom of Maehryth, she believes her task to be both righteous and straightforward—it is for the Crown, after all, and the king’s orders are above all else.
But before she can complete her assignment, Fenn is confronted with a series of revelations about the truth of her task and her heritage. Her mission is thrown off course by her pursuit for answers and the certainty that her destiny is larger than spying for the king. Her choices are complicated further by the strange attraction she feels toward both Bastien and the woman he’s oath-bound to serve.
The gods have their fingers in her destiny and she must find a way to choose between her loyalty to duty and her heart. Her past and the secrets buried there are the keys to saving not just Iskrendour but the whole continent of Araspeyha from ruin at the hands of a power-hungry man who seeks the complete abolition of magic.
- GenresFantasy
418 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2021
2 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Polk
11 books70 followersMel writes indulgent novels that range from fantasy to romance and everything in between. Their vices include swearing like a sailor and having no concept of chill. They are slightly more mushroom than human and would honestly rather be coloring than adulting. Their hobbies include reading voraciously, drinking entirely too much coffee, and failing at commas.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 11, 2022
This was just another deliciously good fantasy novel from author Melissa Polk. Fenn is a Crow, a magical shapeshifter who works as one of the king’s spies. She also happens to be his illegitimate daughter. The Crows are a tight sect of spies who treat Fenn poorly and the reasons for this are only gradually revealed over time. They are working to uncover information about a rebellion in other parts of the kingdom. While spying, Fenn meets Bastien, a soldier, and eventually is sent undercover spying with him on orders from the king. It takes a little while for the story to get past the initial set up phase because there’s so much rich world building and so many details about the magic system and the world of the Crows. But once we get to Bastien, Lochlan and Fenn together, I was completely hooked. The complex relationship between these three, the push and pull, the old complex binding of Bastien and Lochlan and the new intense fire that Fenn adds to their trio, and especially Fenn x Bastien is rich and wonderfully done, and the push and pull of Fenn’s divided loyalties as she begins to challenge and accept the truth about her past is painful to read. As they return to the palace and confront her father, you can’t help but wonder what comes next for all of them, and of course what follows doesn’t disappoint. Very excited for book two.
December 9, 2021
Okay, full disclosure: Melissa is one of my oldest friends and I beta read this book. And if I said I was impartial, I'd be lying. But I'll tell you what you're in for.
Fenn is, well, sad at the beginning. She's got her job as a spy for king, but it is totally a hostile work environment. She thinks this is the best she can hope for.
She takes off on this mission, and that is about all I can say without giving things away. But she learns a lot about herself, her parents and what she deserves. And let's just say the king might regret ever sending her on that mission. :)
One of the things I like best about this story is that it is intriguing. Like I want to keep reading to figure it out. To figure out Fenn, the story, all of it. And that's a story I can't put down.
Fenn is, well, sad at the beginning. She's got her job as a spy for king, but it is totally a hostile work environment. She thinks this is the best she can hope for.
She takes off on this mission, and that is about all I can say without giving things away. But she learns a lot about herself, her parents and what she deserves. And let's just say the king might regret ever sending her on that mission. :)
One of the things I like best about this story is that it is intriguing. Like I want to keep reading to figure it out. To figure out Fenn, the story, all of it. And that's a story I can't put down.
September 18, 2022
BONES OF THE GODS is a story about lies told to control and gain power, and breaking through said lies with the help of found family.
The heart of this book is very much the family Fenn finds for herself, some of whom are romantic family and others are more like siblings. There are ways to very visually show who are your family in this world, but you still have to find them and make the connection.
It's mostly about her relationship with two people (who are soul-bonded to each other but not romantically involved.) They are the ones that help Fenn understand the truth about her and her past, though it's a difficult task for them as she has been raised to see them as her enemy so they have to break down that barrier first before they can start delving into the truth. Not to mention that they're contending with feelings, which exacerbates feelings of betrayal.
Most of the book is told from Fenn's perspective, but both Bastien and Lochlan (the guard and the princess respectively) narrate chapters and scenes from about the 1/3 mark, as the scope of the story and history increases (and also Fenn falls unconscious several times!) Introducing new POVs definitely did help the story feel bigger and wider, with more pieces at play than a Crow shapeshifter who's been lied to.
The book ends with a twist and sort of cliff hanger. The initial goals have been sort of achieved (within the constraints of the twist) but secrets have been unearthed and an enemy has disappeared, leaving them with a quandary to deal with next book.
The heart of this book is very much the family Fenn finds for herself, some of whom are romantic family and others are more like siblings. There are ways to very visually show who are your family in this world, but you still have to find them and make the connection.
It's mostly about her relationship with two people (who are soul-bonded to each other but not romantically involved.) They are the ones that help Fenn understand the truth about her and her past, though it's a difficult task for them as she has been raised to see them as her enemy so they have to break down that barrier first before they can start delving into the truth. Not to mention that they're contending with feelings, which exacerbates feelings of betrayal.
Most of the book is told from Fenn's perspective, but both Bastien and Lochlan (the guard and the princess respectively) narrate chapters and scenes from about the 1/3 mark, as the scope of the story and history increases (and also Fenn falls unconscious several times!) Introducing new POVs definitely did help the story feel bigger and wider, with more pieces at play than a Crow shapeshifter who's been lied to.
The book ends with a twist and sort of cliff hanger. The initial goals have been sort of achieved (within the constraints of the twist) but secrets have been unearthed and an enemy has disappeared, leaving them with a quandary to deal with next book.
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March 27, 2022I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding and the passionate, feral female MC in this romantic high fantasy novel. I'm so excited to see other lands in this world in the sequel! I loved the found family aspect in particular as well. I am not leaving a star rating because I am friends with the author through the Mighty Pens writing group, but I highly recommend this book.
March 27, 2022
More solid fantasy from Melissa Polk
Immersive worldbuilding was a hallmark of Polk's first book, Beneath the Shadow Dark, and I was excited to see where we'd go for Bones of the Gods.
I loved this take on shifter magic and magical bonds, and stayed up well past my bedtime while jetlagged devouring this book. Looking forward to part two.
Immersive worldbuilding was a hallmark of Polk's first book, Beneath the Shadow Dark, and I was excited to see where we'd go for Bones of the Gods.
I loved this take on shifter magic and magical bonds, and stayed up well past my bedtime while jetlagged devouring this book. Looking forward to part two.
March 20, 2022
Fenn is gloriously fiery. I love her.
I will protect Harper with my life. He is a cinnamon roll and should be treated as such.
(go read BONES OF THE GODS and thank me later)
I read an ARC of this, and no, that did not influence my review.
I will protect Harper with my life. He is a cinnamon roll and should be treated as such.
(go read BONES OF THE GODS and thank me later)
I read an ARC of this, and no, that did not influence my review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews