The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

One of our winning group reads for December 2022 is The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller. Please discuss here and remember to use spoiler tags as needed, as everyone reads at different speeds and may start at different times.



Charm is a witch, and she is alone. The last of a line of conquered necromantic workers, now confined within the yard of regrown bone trees at Orchard House, and the secrets of their marrow.

Charm is a prisoner, and a survivor. Charm tends the trees and their clattering fruit for the sake of her children, painstakingly grown and regrown with its fruit: Shame, Justice, Desire, Pride, and Pain.

Charm is a whore, and a madam. The wealthy and powerful of Borenguard come to her house to buy time with the girls who aren't real.

Except on Tuesdays, which is when the Emperor himself lays claim to his mistress, Charm herself.

But now—Charm is also the only person who can keep an empire together, as the Emperor summons her to his deathbed, and charges her with choosing which of his awful, faithless sons will carry on the empire—by discovering which one is responsible for his own murder.

If she does this last thing, she will finally have what has been denied her since the fall of Inshil—her freedom. But she will also be betraying the ghosts past and present that live on within her heart.

Charm must choose. Her dead Emperor’s will or the whispers of her own ghosts. Justice for the empire or her own revenge.

I have to say that I think this is a really creepy cool cover.

Honestly, I bought the book for the it’s cover too. Really creepy and beautiful. Hope the book inside as good as it’s cover ;)

Weird. Ghosts prostitutes?!

Beautiful and intriguing cover! Any comments or reviews so far?

I read first 60 pages. So far not really engaged with the story. There a lot of characters were introduced, but I think they were not introduced “properly”; they look very shallow. I hope there will be more.

Introduction of characters is so important. I've read books where they are introduced too quickly and I never get a feel for them because I spend too much time trying to piece together who is who. I love good character building. I hope that improves, Svetlana. It can really make or break a story.

I found it very confusing at first, but it got better as it went on.

Agree. The beginning is very confusing.
It’s started as a fantasy(or sci-fi) detective (I feel I can say that, it was really started as “who did it”). But more progressing into the story, the more intriguing elements of the world shown.

Anyone else find this a very confusing book? I'm about 10% of the way through and I feel like Charm's motives are confusing. I understand her wanting to get the mindlock off, but her running the establishment in the first place isn't clicking for me.

I’m 1/3rd of the way through, and still in the position “what’s going on!!!”

I finished the book. Yes, it was very frustrating for the beginning (bcz of the World settings), and then started getting more clear from chapter 17-sh the story soaks you in (even I’m still not fully sure I understood how the mindlocks work). And the finally is satisfying.
Overall, I really enjoyed it.
Very good written, despite its a debut.
Starting as a simple murder investigation ( I saying simple because it was the premise, - the Imperator is poisoned, he has 4 sons who want his throne), but later there complications begun (starting that he asked his mistress (Madam who maintains the “house” with prostitutes) to investigate his murder. The story not a simple murder, it has the elements of fantasy, science fiction, politics, secrets..
I would say I will enjoy it more if it was more approachable to the readers. I feel like the author outsmart herself.
Also I would like if there will be more deepness in the characters

My library holding ran out, so it's officially a dnf for me. I don't know why it didn't click because there wasn't even THAT much worldbuilding. But I just wasn't enjoying it.

Sorry it didn't work for you, Delaney, but you're right, sometimes it is best to just move on to something that clicks with you more. Hope you enjoy your next read.

I tried but I just can’t seem to get into this one. I love the cover though!!