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Seattle Slayers #1
Stakes and Bones
Roxy's got two hammers, a bit of Breaker magic, and the deathbed promise she made to her father. The Seattle Slayers, an elite cadre of fighters dedicated to protecting the city, is having their Trials for new initiates. My dad was a Slayer--one of the best. I thought his legacy might give me an edge in the Trials, but I was wrong. If anything, it made them harder on me.
But joining the Slayers is my best chance to save my mom. And, maybe, I need to see if I can fill my dad’s shoes.
The only things standing between me and my dreams are all the other elite fighters and magic users who want their spot on the Slayers too. I will battle them all--fae warriors, river demons, and a vicious animage who hates my guts.
I've got my hands full but a certain vampire princeling further complicates my life even as he saves it. He’s powerful, handsome, and deadly–a combination I find hard to resist.
If you enjoy slow-burn romance and rooting for the underdog, cross over to Twilight Veil, where life is cheap and vampire blood spends the best.
But joining the Slayers is my best chance to save my mom. And, maybe, I need to see if I can fill my dad’s shoes.
The only things standing between me and my dreams are all the other elite fighters and magic users who want their spot on the Slayers too. I will battle them all--fae warriors, river demons, and a vicious animage who hates my guts.
I've got my hands full but a certain vampire princeling further complicates my life even as he saves it. He’s powerful, handsome, and deadly–a combination I find hard to resist.
If you enjoy slow-burn romance and rooting for the underdog, cross over to Twilight Veil, where life is cheap and vampire blood spends the best.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2022
About the author
Ken Bebelle
20 books72 followersKen Bebelle has been an avid reader of fantasy, science fiction, and comic books his entire life. His first foray into writing was in the eighth grade with a sword and sorcery fantasy story stored on a 5.25” floppy disk.
Ken and his co-author, Julia Vee, recently finished Ebony Gate, an Asian-inspired contemporary fantasy set in the Pacific Rim. Ebony Gate was acquired by Claire Eddy at TOR and will debut in summer 2023 as the first in a trilogy. Ken and Julia have also self-published another series, Seattle Slayers, an urban fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic Seattle. In his spare time, Ken is married, has two grown children, ponders the cyberpunk novel that he has yet to write, and tries to grow tomatoes in his meager backyard.
Ken and his co-author, Julia Vee, recently finished Ebony Gate, an Asian-inspired contemporary fantasy set in the Pacific Rim. Ebony Gate was acquired by Claire Eddy at TOR and will debut in summer 2023 as the first in a trilogy. Ken and Julia have also self-published another series, Seattle Slayers, an urban fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic Seattle. In his spare time, Ken is married, has two grown children, ponders the cyberpunk novel that he has yet to write, and tries to grow tomatoes in his meager backyard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 20, 2022
This is a new series by two authors I’ve never read. I was intrigued by the blurb and requested it. It didn’t take long for me to be immersed in this interesting world. Roxy wants to be a Slayer like her dad, and while I really liked Roxy, she did seem a little too ineffective and incompetent even after all her training with her dad. However, I still really enjoyed her and all the other characters in this book. The world seems very interesting, too. I can’t wait to read the next book and see what’s in store next, and how the dynamic will be with them. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
August 27, 2022
This book mixes post apocalyptic fantasy with Urban Fantasy. It's somewhere in the near future. Another realm has combined with ours but only in spots called the Twilight. One of these spots is in Seattle. When it occured, the world in that area drowned, and creatures of the twilight realm came through. This is all separated by a veil. Although both sides know about it and can communicate.
Our heroine, Roxy, has lived on the technological side in Boston. Her dad has filled her mind with his tales of being a slayer in Seattle. When he dies, she decides that's the only way to support her family, including her sick mother. So, she travels through the veil to the Twilight and joins the trials to become a Slayer.
She's human, but she has the same magical power that her dad had. That of a breaker. Now she must use that power, and her fighting ability against fae, shifters, and real magic users to win one of the three coveted spots in the Slayers.
First of all, the world building was top notch. This is a world similar to Ilona Andrews where the world is breaking down because of magic, and that leads to many problems with the various magical races living together, mainly rogue vampires. So the Slayers were born.
The story reminds me a little of academy books, although Roxy is grown if young. The trials involve training together and different levels so it has that feel.
No worries though. There is a ton of action and some light hearted moments. There isn't any romance, although there is an attraction with the possibility of a romance in later novels between Roxy and a handsome vampire prince.
Overall this is a fun book and I recommend it to lovers of hard UF, supernatural action, and post apocalyptic themes. This is a winner!
Our heroine, Roxy, has lived on the technological side in Boston. Her dad has filled her mind with his tales of being a slayer in Seattle. When he dies, she decides that's the only way to support her family, including her sick mother. So, she travels through the veil to the Twilight and joins the trials to become a Slayer.
She's human, but she has the same magical power that her dad had. That of a breaker. Now she must use that power, and her fighting ability against fae, shifters, and real magic users to win one of the three coveted spots in the Slayers.
First of all, the world building was top notch. This is a world similar to Ilona Andrews where the world is breaking down because of magic, and that leads to many problems with the various magical races living together, mainly rogue vampires. So the Slayers were born.
The story reminds me a little of academy books, although Roxy is grown if young. The trials involve training together and different levels so it has that feel.
No worries though. There is a ton of action and some light hearted moments. There isn't any romance, although there is an attraction with the possibility of a romance in later novels between Roxy and a handsome vampire prince.
Overall this is a fun book and I recommend it to lovers of hard UF, supernatural action, and post apocalyptic themes. This is a winner!
October 22, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up!
This was so fun! I added this to my tbr after reading the authors' trad pubbed novel, Ebony Gate. I thought it was a decent read (absolutely loved the AAPI rep tho!), so I figured I'd try out one of their self-pubbed works.
I have absolutely no regrets!
Stakes and Bones is a fast-paced action-packed urban fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic Seattle. The world is full of supernatural creatures such as fae, vampires, shifters, etc. The setting itself feels both dystopian, yet ethereal (with the magical elements).
Roxy is a great main character! She's badass, and the action scenes definitely back it up. I also appreciate how the authors gave her character flaws, such as how combat-wise, she's not the best of the best. (Which, lbr, is something a lot of fantasy books struggle with.)
While the number of characters during the Trials was a little too much for me to remember, the actual Trials themselves were great! The team up battle with the ushi-oni was really cool. So was the scene in the cave with the rabid vampires. The authors really excel with writing and balancing tension and action scenes.
I had so much fun reading about Roxy's quest to become a Slayer that I absolutely devoured this book in less than two days.
Needless to say, I'm ready for more!
This was so fun! I added this to my tbr after reading the authors' trad pubbed novel, Ebony Gate. I thought it was a decent read (absolutely loved the AAPI rep tho!), so I figured I'd try out one of their self-pubbed works.
I have absolutely no regrets!
Stakes and Bones is a fast-paced action-packed urban fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic Seattle. The world is full of supernatural creatures such as fae, vampires, shifters, etc. The setting itself feels both dystopian, yet ethereal (with the magical elements).
Roxy is a great main character! She's badass, and the action scenes definitely back it up. I also appreciate how the authors gave her character flaws, such as how combat-wise, she's not the best of the best. (Which, lbr, is something a lot of fantasy books struggle with.)
While the number of characters during the Trials was a little too much for me to remember, the actual Trials themselves were great! The team up battle with the ushi-oni was really cool. So was the scene in the cave with the rabid vampires. The authors really excel with writing and balancing tension and action scenes.
I had so much fun reading about Roxy's quest to become a Slayer that I absolutely devoured this book in less than two days.
Needless to say, I'm ready for more!
September 12, 2022
this was a great start to the Seattle Slayers series, the characters were what was what I was hoping for. The plot really worked well in this world and I was really glad to read this. I look forward to the next book in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
September 19, 2022Not only was this a great way to start a new series but it was a fantastic introduction to two new authors. I found the character work and story line to be well written and I was hooked from start to finish. I can't wait to see what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 1, 2024
Disclaimer - read as a judge for Fantasy Faction for SPFBOX. Opinion and rating is my own and doesn't necessarily reflect other team member's views or rating.
(My rating is NOT the team's final rating)
All Roxy ever wanted to be was a Slayer like her Dad and Uncle. With her father dead and an ill family member, Roxy has finally got the chance to be a killer of rogue vampires and earn much needed money but it's not going to be easy. To become a Slayer, Roxy and an eclectic, diverse group of other wannabes will have to undergo a range of trials, some of which may hinge on whether you kill or be killed.
The trials are not just tests of strength, throughout the trials Roxy learns the meaning of trust and friendship. She also finds out that her father may not be the Slayer hero he made himself out to be.
If you like your UF that ticks all the tropes then Stakes and Bones is the perfect read. For me it was the ideal book for a lazy Sunday afternoon and a great palate cleaner after a darker read.
(My rating is NOT the team's final rating)
All Roxy ever wanted to be was a Slayer like her Dad and Uncle. With her father dead and an ill family member, Roxy has finally got the chance to be a killer of rogue vampires and earn much needed money but it's not going to be easy. To become a Slayer, Roxy and an eclectic, diverse group of other wannabes will have to undergo a range of trials, some of which may hinge on whether you kill or be killed.
The trials are not just tests of strength, throughout the trials Roxy learns the meaning of trust and friendship. She also finds out that her father may not be the Slayer hero he made himself out to be.
If you like your UF that ticks all the tropes then Stakes and Bones is the perfect read. For me it was the ideal book for a lazy Sunday afternoon and a great palate cleaner after a darker read.
July 8, 2024
Like Tamora Pierce, but with vampires. And Seattle
A scrappy girl, easy to underestimate. Tryouts for a deadly-dangerous position as a Slayer. A mysterious, veiled city filled with humans, vampires, shifters, demons, and other creatures that would just as soon eat you as do business with you. A high-stakes trial where success might mean you’d eventually be slayed by the creatures you hunted, but failure, for Roxy, means possibly watching her mother die because only the Slayers seem to have a cure for her disease.
All this is set against the backdrop of Seattle that has been ravaged by floods and a disaster called the Rift. Now the city beyond the veil is shadowed in perpetual twilight, and magic is all around.
Roxy is as much in a battle against her inner demons as against her fellow Slayer initiates. At the same time, she keeps running into Tyree, a vampire prince who seems to have an uncomfortable attraction to her.
As I read this edge-of-your-seat action adventure, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons with the work of Tamora Pierce, my most favorite author of all time. The main character Roxy reminded me of Alanna the Lioness. She wasn’t the strongest, or fastest, or smartest, but she cares about the people around her and combines her strengths with theirs for unbeatable teamwork. Also, poor Roxy always seems to start on the wrong foot, which was a lot like Alanna when she started training to be a knight.
I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who likes a scrappy lead character who’s a team player more than a star, and who creates her own chosen family.
A scrappy girl, easy to underestimate. Tryouts for a deadly-dangerous position as a Slayer. A mysterious, veiled city filled with humans, vampires, shifters, demons, and other creatures that would just as soon eat you as do business with you. A high-stakes trial where success might mean you’d eventually be slayed by the creatures you hunted, but failure, for Roxy, means possibly watching her mother die because only the Slayers seem to have a cure for her disease.
All this is set against the backdrop of Seattle that has been ravaged by floods and a disaster called the Rift. Now the city beyond the veil is shadowed in perpetual twilight, and magic is all around.
Roxy is as much in a battle against her inner demons as against her fellow Slayer initiates. At the same time, she keeps running into Tyree, a vampire prince who seems to have an uncomfortable attraction to her.
As I read this edge-of-your-seat action adventure, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons with the work of Tamora Pierce, my most favorite author of all time. The main character Roxy reminded me of Alanna the Lioness. She wasn’t the strongest, or fastest, or smartest, but she cares about the people around her and combines her strengths with theirs for unbeatable teamwork. Also, poor Roxy always seems to start on the wrong foot, which was a lot like Alanna when she started training to be a knight.
I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who likes a scrappy lead character who’s a team player more than a star, and who creates her own chosen family.
October 10, 2022
Great Series Starter!
I typically read romance, sci-fi romance, paranormal romance, and fantasy romance for the most part. Every once in a while, I step away for a straight-up sci-fi or fantasy novel. Stakes and Bones hits all the things I look for when I take a walk on the wild side. It has a powerful female protagonist. The monsters are out of this world and worthy adversaries. There is plenty of action and adventure. Finally, I'm left with a sense of satisfaction and yet a craving to read the next in the series. That's just the way a book should end.
I typically read romance, sci-fi romance, paranormal romance, and fantasy romance for the most part. Every once in a while, I step away for a straight-up sci-fi or fantasy novel. Stakes and Bones hits all the things I look for when I take a walk on the wild side. It has a powerful female protagonist. The monsters are out of this world and worthy adversaries. There is plenty of action and adventure. Finally, I'm left with a sense of satisfaction and yet a craving to read the next in the series. That's just the way a book should end.
September 13, 2022
This was my first book by Julia Vee and I really enjoyed it!!! Fae warriors, river demons, and vampires yes please!!! I love all paranormal books and this one kept me turning the pages!!! I look forward to reading more by this author!!! Read and enjoy!!!
March 17, 2023
Stakes and Bones was totally unexpected in the best way.
I am typically a romantasy reader through and through. Give me a good plot, intriguing magic, morally grey men, and a bit of spice and I am a happy gal. This story is more of a high-action, fast-paced, dystopian future Sci-fi epic.
Roxy is a bit naive but tough as nails, following through on her fathers dying wish that she fight for a spot among the Slayers of Seattle, a mashup of fae, shifters, and humans who keep Seattle safe from an rogues. Roxy has a unique type of magic she is only just learning the intricacies of as she tackles the trials, befriending the other initiate hopefuls, and the odd tension/tentative friendship she has with Tyee, the Prince of Mist and Minds.
I’m left with a sense that not everything is at is seems - the Slayers have some darker secrets the initiates aren’t yet privy to, Roxy’s dad hid some major history from her, and there is more to Roxy than even she knows. It’s quite unclear who is hiding the biggest secrets and I am looking forward to Roxy learning every last detail, and potentially having her mind (and mine) blown. I am quite excited to get into book two and see what trouble she can get into next!!
I am typically a romantasy reader through and through. Give me a good plot, intriguing magic, morally grey men, and a bit of spice and I am a happy gal. This story is more of a high-action, fast-paced, dystopian future Sci-fi epic.
Roxy is a bit naive but tough as nails, following through on her fathers dying wish that she fight for a spot among the Slayers of Seattle, a mashup of fae, shifters, and humans who keep Seattle safe from an rogues. Roxy has a unique type of magic she is only just learning the intricacies of as she tackles the trials, befriending the other initiate hopefuls, and the odd tension/tentative friendship she has with Tyee, the Prince of Mist and Minds.
I’m left with a sense that not everything is at is seems - the Slayers have some darker secrets the initiates aren’t yet privy to, Roxy’s dad hid some major history from her, and there is more to Roxy than even she knows. It’s quite unclear who is hiding the biggest secrets and I am looking forward to Roxy learning every last detail, and potentially having her mind (and mine) blown. I am quite excited to get into book two and see what trouble she can get into next!!
Want to Read
October 18, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBOX contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
To pass the Slayers' deadly Trials, a woman living in Twilight Seattle has to first get a witch to enchant her leather duster. Good thing she has two ounces of silver and a pizza-shaped rock in her pocket.
This is 1st person urban fantasy set in a future where Seattle behind the Veil of magic is stuck in a past much like our present (delightfully playful). Our MC has her work cut out for her, but she loves it here, actually. 1 ch. in, and so do I.
This is simply one of the tightest, most focused, intelligent, playful, and undeniable interesting openings I’ve ever read.
It grounds us in the experience of the MC, but it isn’t single-minded. It takes the time to introduce us to our setting without dumping too much in our lap or losing track of our MC’s problem at hand.
It’s active, there’s simple but engaging conflict, clear goals, clear impediments to those goals, and a hint at big personal stakes for our MC.
It’s dialogue as well as narration are revealing of character and of the world we’re in. It’s colorful! It’s whimsical. It’s fun and it’s funny, but it also feels like we’re dealing with more and death stuff here.
The list of occult ingredients our witch needs to enchant our tall female MCs leather duster (which she likes in part because it looks cool) were an especially nice touch.
Everything about this opening is just right. Really, it’s perfect. It does everything a story should do to engage a readers' interest, and it does it all well. I’m wow'd!
The style is precise but still playful. This is swimming with wonderful ideas that light up my imagination. It resists explaining everything, which helps my sense of wonder at this setting - this realm of Twilight Seattle - leap of the page.
I’m a fan of urban fantasy and noir, and I love this. I love it. I couldn’t be more in. A series starter, and it’s only 99c! Sold!
To pass the Slayers' deadly Trials, a woman living in Twilight Seattle has to first get a witch to enchant her leather duster. Good thing she has two ounces of silver and a pizza-shaped rock in her pocket.
This is 1st person urban fantasy set in a future where Seattle behind the Veil of magic is stuck in a past much like our present (delightfully playful). Our MC has her work cut out for her, but she loves it here, actually. 1 ch. in, and so do I.
This is simply one of the tightest, most focused, intelligent, playful, and undeniable interesting openings I’ve ever read.
It grounds us in the experience of the MC, but it isn’t single-minded. It takes the time to introduce us to our setting without dumping too much in our lap or losing track of our MC’s problem at hand.
It’s active, there’s simple but engaging conflict, clear goals, clear impediments to those goals, and a hint at big personal stakes for our MC.
It’s dialogue as well as narration are revealing of character and of the world we’re in. It’s colorful! It’s whimsical. It’s fun and it’s funny, but it also feels like we’re dealing with more and death stuff here.
The list of occult ingredients our witch needs to enchant our tall female MCs leather duster (which she likes in part because it looks cool) were an especially nice touch.
Everything about this opening is just right. Really, it’s perfect. It does everything a story should do to engage a readers' interest, and it does it all well. I’m wow'd!
The style is precise but still playful. This is swimming with wonderful ideas that light up my imagination. It resists explaining everything, which helps my sense of wonder at this setting - this realm of Twilight Seattle - leap of the page.
I’m a fan of urban fantasy and noir, and I love this. I love it. I couldn’t be more in. A series starter, and it’s only 99c! Sold!
October 16, 2022
This is a brilliant start to a brand new series. The characters are snarky and the the plot is very intriguing. This is a great vamp story. I recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 28, 2025
I took this book up because it was recommended for fans of “buffy the vampire slayer “ and on that part I was a little disappointed. But the book totally made up for that fact. It took me into a whole new intriguing world with a new heroine to admire.
Its a dystopian fantasy world, but even though life is harsh there are still kind people ( even though they are sometimes a little weird) The characters are believable, although sometimes slightly stereotype for their fantasy race. The main character is very human, with her own personal struggles. She is loyal and brave ( sometimes a little too brave for her own good) The trials she has to go through are very violent, harsh and bloody and sometimes my heart almost broke for her.
A lot is happening in this story but the pace is perfect. After keeping you on the edge of your seat there is also time for a lovely / endearing moment in which both the reader and maincharacter can catch their breath.
I am very eager to read the next part of this series
Its a dystopian fantasy world, but even though life is harsh there are still kind people ( even though they are sometimes a little weird) The characters are believable, although sometimes slightly stereotype for their fantasy race. The main character is very human, with her own personal struggles. She is loyal and brave ( sometimes a little too brave for her own good) The trials she has to go through are very violent, harsh and bloody and sometimes my heart almost broke for her.
A lot is happening in this story but the pace is perfect. After keeping you on the edge of your seat there is also time for a lovely / endearing moment in which both the reader and maincharacter can catch their breath.
I am very eager to read the next part of this series
September 25, 2024
Read for SPFBO, this is only my personal opinion, group verdict might differ widely!
Stakes and Bones by Men Bebelle
I was so looking forward to a female led urban fantasy!
While this book didn't have a lot of romance, it is definitely the set up for an enemies to lovers story.
It technically is urban fantasy, but I found it quite annoying how the female lead was supposed to be a trained fighter, but still can't help but think about just how hot the vampire is…
I mean, I find the male gaze in some UF books horrible, when female characters are described in detail by boobs and waist, while male characters just get a quick glance. The chiselled chins and rock hard muscles are just as bad to me.
Aside from that aspect, I found the plot a bit too similar to many other books I read before, and the main character just seems to get through things by sheer luck a lot of the time.
I would have liked more depth to the character, aside from having a sick mum, and more cohesion for the overall story.
Stakes and Bones by Men Bebelle
I was so looking forward to a female led urban fantasy!
While this book didn't have a lot of romance, it is definitely the set up for an enemies to lovers story.
It technically is urban fantasy, but I found it quite annoying how the female lead was supposed to be a trained fighter, but still can't help but think about just how hot the vampire is…
I mean, I find the male gaze in some UF books horrible, when female characters are described in detail by boobs and waist, while male characters just get a quick glance. The chiselled chins and rock hard muscles are just as bad to me.
Aside from that aspect, I found the plot a bit too similar to many other books I read before, and the main character just seems to get through things by sheer luck a lot of the time.
I would have liked more depth to the character, aside from having a sick mum, and more cohesion for the overall story.
November 13, 2023
Very interesting story!
We aren’t privy to what caused the destruction of Seattle or how the Veil came to be. Suffice to say there are two worlds now. The human world and the Veil, all types living there. shifters, Fae, vampires, witches, demons. And holding the peace, keeping the population safe are the Slayers. An organization that keeps rogue vampires in check.
Roxy has come through the Veil to try to get into the trials to join the Slayers, as her father had before her. Trained by him until his illness made it impossible, his dying command was for Roxy to take care of her mother. Her uncle, Samuel, one of the Seven of the Slayers, encourages Roxy in her efforts.
Follow along on this journey and find out what’s really going on in this world behind the Veil. What happened to make her father leave thenSlayers and return to the human world?? What is going on with Tyee? What are these plans he has in play?
We aren’t privy to what caused the destruction of Seattle or how the Veil came to be. Suffice to say there are two worlds now. The human world and the Veil, all types living there. shifters, Fae, vampires, witches, demons. And holding the peace, keeping the population safe are the Slayers. An organization that keeps rogue vampires in check.
Roxy has come through the Veil to try to get into the trials to join the Slayers, as her father had before her. Trained by him until his illness made it impossible, his dying command was for Roxy to take care of her mother. Her uncle, Samuel, one of the Seven of the Slayers, encourages Roxy in her efforts.
Follow along on this journey and find out what’s really going on in this world behind the Veil. What happened to make her father leave thenSlayers and return to the human world?? What is going on with Tyee? What are these plans he has in play?
February 10, 2024
intriguing
I was curious to see how the book played out in the Seattle area since I’m from WA and always like to read books set in the area, while still getting my fix with my love for vamp/shifter/witch/zombie books. While there wasn’t a lot of the backstory on how the circumstances came to be for the setting, the characters and story make me want to keep reading not only those books but to continue the series to learn more about all of the characters and to see what twists and turns they will each bring to this series. Thanks for a good read that kept me wanting to read and not skim through pages to just get through it.
I was curious to see how the book played out in the Seattle area since I’m from WA and always like to read books set in the area, while still getting my fix with my love for vamp/shifter/witch/zombie books. While there wasn’t a lot of the backstory on how the circumstances came to be for the setting, the characters and story make me want to keep reading not only those books but to continue the series to learn more about all of the characters and to see what twists and turns they will each bring to this series. Thanks for a good read that kept me wanting to read and not skim through pages to just get through it.
April 25, 2024
This is the first book I've read from these authors and it was good.
But I feel like I don't really connect with Roxy. It could partly be because I never cared for her family. The only one we get to know is her dad and he's dead. Her mom is sick and Roxys siblings both study. That's basically all that I know about them.
Roxy is supposed to be doing everything in her power to protect and care for them. Her love and care for them don't really matter to me when I barely remember their names. I don't even think her moms name is ever mentioned.
All in all it was nice. I like "paranormal detective" ish books.
With a slow burn romance of course.
But I feel like I don't really connect with Roxy. It could partly be because I never cared for her family. The only one we get to know is her dad and he's dead. Her mom is sick and Roxys siblings both study. That's basically all that I know about them.
Roxy is supposed to be doing everything in her power to protect and care for them. Her love and care for them don't really matter to me when I barely remember their names. I don't even think her moms name is ever mentioned.
All in all it was nice. I like "paranormal detective" ish books.
With a slow burn romance of course.
September 7, 2022
Loved It! Original and Creative!
If you love a strong female protagonist, action adventure, political machinations, you are in for a treat. I loved this book. The lead character is the daughter of one of the Slayers deceased, former member. She is trying to make enough money to pay for medical treatment for her mother, and support her siblings. Then she wants to make her deceased father proud. He started training her to be a slayer when she could walk. Will she have the strength to make it? There are 60 candidates for only three slots. Everyone else is better armed. This is a fun, high energy, thrill ride. It is slow enough for good character development, but other than that it is challenge after challenge.
Loved it and waiting for more.
As per the SEC rules, I am informing you that I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If you love a strong female protagonist, action adventure, political machinations, you are in for a treat. I loved this book. The lead character is the daughter of one of the Slayers deceased, former member. She is trying to make enough money to pay for medical treatment for her mother, and support her siblings. Then she wants to make her deceased father proud. He started training her to be a slayer when she could walk. Will she have the strength to make it? There are 60 candidates for only three slots. Everyone else is better armed. This is a fun, high energy, thrill ride. It is slow enough for good character development, but other than that it is challenge after challenge.
Loved it and waiting for more.
As per the SEC rules, I am informing you that I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 2, 2023
fabulous read
I found this engrossing gem in Prime reading and couldn’t put it down. World building, conflicts and excellent characters combined to create this amazing story. I will have to invest in the next books, enjoy!
I found this engrossing gem in Prime reading and couldn’t put it down. World building, conflicts and excellent characters combined to create this amazing story. I will have to invest in the next books, enjoy!
June 27, 2023
Absolutely Entertaining!
This book has it all! Action, adventure, character development and beautifully new story line. I was laughing out loud and staying up half the night to find out if all the risks paid off…absolutely worth losing sleep for! Enjoy, because I’m off for the next adventure!
This book has it all! Action, adventure, character development and beautifully new story line. I was laughing out loud and staying up half the night to find out if all the risks paid off…absolutely worth losing sleep for! Enjoy, because I’m off for the next adventure!
April 29, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It is a great start to a new series. This was an interesting and fast paced read. A l0t of action, characters who are quite interesting. It is going to be interesting to see where this series goes and what happens with Roxy and all the Slayers. And if she does find herself in a romance with a certain Vampire Prince. Look forward to reading the next book.
October 15, 2022
This was a pretty good start to the series. I like the characters, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 30, 2024
I Enjoyed every moment of it!
I enjoyed the heroine very much. The usual fare I’ve started to read lately has seemed to be bratty little over strength females without the consent of being willing to be part of a team. This girl has some magic but is able to accept help and friendship as well as fit into a team where there are requirements for putting aside first impressions to accomplish a duty and a goal.
Satisfying!
I enjoyed the heroine very much. The usual fare I’ve started to read lately has seemed to be bratty little over strength females without the consent of being willing to be part of a team. This girl has some magic but is able to accept help and friendship as well as fit into a team where there are requirements for putting aside first impressions to accomplish a duty and a goal.
Satisfying!
November 6, 2023
Great
Such an intense and intriguing start to a series. I can't wait to see what happens between all the players in this series
Such an intense and intriguing start to a series. I can't wait to see what happens between all the players in this series
December 4, 2024
I have been in a HUGE reading slump and this pulled me out of it. I love a good urban fantasy book and this delivered. The narrator was great as well! Definitely recommend.
January 17, 2024
This one was a huge miss for me.
Extremely clichéed YA story around some derivation of the classic (kind of) life or death trials with arbitrary rules and unfair trainers and judges.
At its core this is a drawing by numbers story that exclusively consists of a bunch of common tropes without any sort of original idea or twist. And neither is there any depth beyond the tropes themselves. It's just the tropes and nothing else.
The world building is nonexistent and I never even developed any kind of consistent impression of how this world is structured. I have no idea about anything in this world really.
There are books which are very explicit in their introduction to its characters and the world which can sometimes lead to pacing issues.
Then there are the books that are written in a way that lets you naturally assemble the image of the world piece by piece without much explicit exposition but doing this right is quite hard.
And then there is this book which does neither. It reads like a second installment of a series which already explained everything in the first one and isn't interested in bringing newcomers on board.
The plot feels extremely disconnected and is just the glue to jerry-rig individual scenes together somehow which the author though would make for a good movie.
Very little in this book makes any kind of narrative sense.
It reads amateurish, like the author has thought up a vague outline of this world while day-dreaming and then decided to write a book about it without any planning or much of a concept of narrative structure.
It's not fleshed out and neither does it make logical sense.
A lot of things feel like the author made them up on the spot to make a scene work.
Magic seems to only be able to do precisely the things the author wants it to at any given point.
Maybe that is not true and later books will show that its all thoroughly thought through and intentional but I press X to doubt.
The book can't decide if the MC is really just doing it all to help her mother which she constantly repeats or if she is just a starry-eyed teenager aspiring to be one of these badass "Slayers" for the glory.
This ruins the one even slightly emotionally appealing aspect of this story for me and it also undermines the one motivation that could possibly drive a character to tolerate being this mistreated punching bag.
Furthermore, the characters behave extremely juvenile. We have the typical mean-girl mobbing and sabotage and lots of arrogance. The MC as well as some of the other students are clearly TSTL.
The MC constantly thinks about validation from others like a young teenager that hasn't begun to rebel/separate yet.
The level of nuance of the conflicts and discussion is "to genocide or not to genocide".
The book tries to portray the MC as intelligent and having nuance by her not being on board with indescriminate murder.
What I am trying to say is that there is no nuance. It's all extremely crude and simplistic.
Not to mention that the MC is of course the special snowflake with the most powerful rare magic ever, even stronger than her legendary father (I think?). yadda yadda.
For most of the book I constantly had thoughts like "But what is the point?!" and "But why?!" and "Why should I care?".
The book doesn't bother to set up deeper motivations for anyone beyond the ambiguous one of the MC.
The only motivating factor is driven by the provoked ourage over the constant unfairness and mistreatment of the MC.
The only half-way decent parts of this book are the action/fighting scenes. They are not amazing but they are better than average.
In conclusion, this is not a good book in any regard. I am completely baffled by the amount of raving reviews this has and even more so about the complete abscense of any critical reviews. This screams paid reviews to me. But maybe the author was just savy enough to only give advanced reader copies to people she knew would enjoy the book for other reasons or generally always leave positive reviews or whatnot. Maybe I have to get rid of my tinfoil hat here though and the standards of your average reader are just so much lower than I expect.
Extremely clichéed YA story around some derivation of the classic (kind of) life or death trials with arbitrary rules and unfair trainers and judges.
At its core this is a drawing by numbers story that exclusively consists of a bunch of common tropes without any sort of original idea or twist. And neither is there any depth beyond the tropes themselves. It's just the tropes and nothing else.
The world building is nonexistent and I never even developed any kind of consistent impression of how this world is structured. I have no idea about anything in this world really.
There are books which are very explicit in their introduction to its characters and the world which can sometimes lead to pacing issues.
Then there are the books that are written in a way that lets you naturally assemble the image of the world piece by piece without much explicit exposition but doing this right is quite hard.
And then there is this book which does neither. It reads like a second installment of a series which already explained everything in the first one and isn't interested in bringing newcomers on board.
The plot feels extremely disconnected and is just the glue to jerry-rig individual scenes together somehow which the author though would make for a good movie.
Very little in this book makes any kind of narrative sense.
It reads amateurish, like the author has thought up a vague outline of this world while day-dreaming and then decided to write a book about it without any planning or much of a concept of narrative structure.
It's not fleshed out and neither does it make logical sense.
A lot of things feel like the author made them up on the spot to make a scene work.
Magic seems to only be able to do precisely the things the author wants it to at any given point.
Maybe that is not true and later books will show that its all thoroughly thought through and intentional but I press X to doubt.
The book can't decide if the MC is really just doing it all to help her mother which she constantly repeats or if she is just a starry-eyed teenager aspiring to be one of these badass "Slayers" for the glory.
This ruins the one even slightly emotionally appealing aspect of this story for me and it also undermines the one motivation that could possibly drive a character to tolerate being this mistreated punching bag.
Furthermore, the characters behave extremely juvenile. We have the typical mean-girl mobbing and sabotage and lots of arrogance. The MC as well as some of the other students are clearly TSTL.
The MC constantly thinks about validation from others like a young teenager that hasn't begun to rebel/separate yet.
The level of nuance of the conflicts and discussion is "to genocide or not to genocide".
The book tries to portray the MC as intelligent and having nuance by her not being on board with indescriminate murder.
What I am trying to say is that there is no nuance. It's all extremely crude and simplistic.
Not to mention that the MC is of course the special snowflake with the most powerful rare magic ever, even stronger than her legendary father (I think?). yadda yadda.
For most of the book I constantly had thoughts like "But what is the point?!" and "But why?!" and "Why should I care?".
The book doesn't bother to set up deeper motivations for anyone beyond the ambiguous one of the MC.
The only motivating factor is driven by the provoked ourage over the constant unfairness and mistreatment of the MC.
The only half-way decent parts of this book are the action/fighting scenes. They are not amazing but they are better than average.
In conclusion, this is not a good book in any regard. I am completely baffled by the amount of raving reviews this has and even more so about the complete abscense of any critical reviews. This screams paid reviews to me. But maybe the author was just savy enough to only give advanced reader copies to people she knew would enjoy the book for other reasons or generally always leave positive reviews or whatnot. Maybe I have to get rid of my tinfoil hat here though and the standards of your average reader are just so much lower than I expect.
May 29, 2026
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
3.5* -- (I know I read the prequel, I noted its rating but its not on here. I'm sure I also read book 1 since I got them at the same time.)
Rating is for the Prequel and 95% sure also Book 1.
I liked the MC.
I liked the setting.
I liked the characters.
I liked the plot.
First time read the author's work?: No -- I'd read the prequel first, but it's not on here.
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
3.5* -- (I know I read the prequel, I noted its rating but its not on here. I'm sure I also read book 1 since I got them at the same time.)
Rating is for the Prequel and 95% sure also Book 1.
I liked the MC.
I liked the setting.
I liked the characters.
I liked the plot.
First time read the author's work?: No -- I'd read the prequel first, but it's not on here.
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
September 19, 2023
I liked the premise of this, the supernatural bubble in a future America sounds cool and I'm always interested in trials or competitions. This was pretty fast paced and I appreciated how much action there was.
The main character Roxy has been training her whole life to be a Slayer, taking down rogue vampires and keeping the city safe. I found it kind of hard to believe though, since Roxy is clearly less skilled than the other candidates and makes simple mistakes. I wanted her to be a bit more badass, instead of relying on others to help her all the time.
There are a lot of questions in this and threads started in this that we don't see go anywhere. I guess they'll be addressed in the sequel?
The main character Roxy has been training her whole life to be a Slayer, taking down rogue vampires and keeping the city safe. I found it kind of hard to believe though, since Roxy is clearly less skilled than the other candidates and makes simple mistakes. I wanted her to be a bit more badass, instead of relying on others to help her all the time.
There are a lot of questions in this and threads started in this that we don't see go anywhere. I guess they'll be addressed in the sequel?
March 17, 2025
I enjoyed it overall. I bought this book when I was at a comic con and excited to read it. I like the fierce determination of Roxy to become a Slayer and to help her mother’s sickness. I was also glad when Marnie got banned because she was acting all holier than thou and betrayed others. I was pleasantly surprised at the way Ulf partnered with Roxy. I like Mrs. Chu and how she cares for Roxy and feeds her soup. It’s cool that it’s set in Seattle, as I live about 30 minutes away, but it would be even cooler to read a story like this set in Tacoma!
I was going to rate 4 stars but there were too many grammatical errors I caught. It was also pretty similar to some regards to the Crescent City series, which I know fantasy can start being similar cuz there’s only so much one can write.
I was going to rate 4 stars but there were too many grammatical errors I caught. It was also pretty similar to some regards to the Crescent City series, which I know fantasy can start being similar cuz there’s only so much one can write.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2025
I really enjoyed reading Stakes and Bones. The world of Seattle Slayers is fascinating. The world building is rich and detailed without being overdone. The characters are intriguing and well developed. I really like Roxy's attitude and determination. The relationships feel genuine as they develop between characters, and the storyline is engaging. Everything comes together to make this a book that is very hard to put down. I wound up reading it all at once because I kept wanting to know what would happen next. I highly recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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