What do you think?
Rate this book
Bones #1
Bones
Bones was born with the miraculous power to heal, but all her gift has brought is death.
As a child, her older brother trained her to survive, and so survive she did. The blood on her hands will never wash off, she is broken and scarred in more ways than one, but she survived.
After finally escaping the ruthless raiders who imprisoned her for twelve long years, Bones is haunted by her past and desperate for atonement. Freedom is short-lived, however, as the rumors of her abilities catch up to her. Dragged to the northwest mountain stronghold known as the Vault, Bones finds herself involuntarily drawn to the tight-knit crew who captured her, and the feelings she begins to develop for Trey, the heart of the crew, scare her more than all the horrors of her past.
Bones struggles to maintain her distance, navigate her trauma, and deal with the new horrifying ways her healing powers are used to root out a budding revolution. As her defenses slowly break down, everything she believes about herself and the world is challenged, forcing her to confront the question: what are you surviving for?
**This is a post-apocalyptic romantasy that deals with dark themes. Check content warnings at author's website klspeer dot com slash content-warnings**
As a child, her older brother trained her to survive, and so survive she did. The blood on her hands will never wash off, she is broken and scarred in more ways than one, but she survived.
After finally escaping the ruthless raiders who imprisoned her for twelve long years, Bones is haunted by her past and desperate for atonement. Freedom is short-lived, however, as the rumors of her abilities catch up to her. Dragged to the northwest mountain stronghold known as the Vault, Bones finds herself involuntarily drawn to the tight-knit crew who captured her, and the feelings she begins to develop for Trey, the heart of the crew, scare her more than all the horrors of her past.
Bones struggles to maintain her distance, navigate her trauma, and deal with the new horrifying ways her healing powers are used to root out a budding revolution. As her defenses slowly break down, everything she believes about herself and the world is challenged, forcing her to confront the question: what are you surviving for?
**This is a post-apocalyptic romantasy that deals with dark themes. Check content warnings at author's website klspeer dot com slash content-warnings**
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 24, 2024
874 people are currently reading
14581 people want to read
About the author
K.L. Speer
2 books386 followersKelsey Speer is an author and artist who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and two children, but she grew up in the remote mountains of Montana where the story of Bones takes place. With a background in graphic design, she is always creating something. Thanks to that creative spirit, she has explored numerous artistic mediums from embroidery, drawing, her kids’ Halloween costumes, painting, digital art, fancy cakes, and changing the color of her hair. But she always comes back to writing.
Kelsey started writing her first novel when she was twelve years old. Tragically the pink floppy disc containing it was lost. Since then, she has started writing many different books, and after finally getting officially diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, she actually finished one.
Kelsey started writing her first novel when she was twelve years old. Tragically the pink floppy disc containing it was lost. Since then, she has started writing many different books, and after finally getting officially diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, she actually finished one.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 875 reviews
October 22, 2025
4.5 star 🌟
“I’ll be your home as long as you need.”
The found family was my absolute favourite 🙌🏼 I’ll be diving into book 2 immediately!
“I’ll be your home as long as you need.”
The found family was my absolute favourite 🙌🏼 I’ll be diving into book 2 immediately!
August 17, 2025
DNF @ 50%... unfortunately, I have absolutely zero interest. There is legit no world building.. ZERO. I am so confused honestly and have zero connection to a single character.
I did want to know what happened because I heard this is heartbreaking.. and yeah, if I cared about what was happening I can see why it could be heartbreaking but the writing / story / plot... is just not for me.
I did want to know what happened because I heard this is heartbreaking.. and yeah, if I cared about what was happening I can see why it could be heartbreaking but the writing / story / plot... is just not for me.
January 29, 2024
HOLY CANNOLI! What. A. Book! I saw Kelsey's beautiful art (related to this book) on IG, and I was instantly desperate to read her first book. I was one of the lucky people to receive an ARC for 'Bones', and let me tell you... This book is a total KNOCKOUT! And Kelsey being a first-time author makes this an even more special read!
This post-apocalyptic and romantic story is heartwrenching, terrifying, beautiful, sweet, gut-punching, and stressful AF. It's been compared to Hunger Games and Divergent, and I would say there is even a little bit of Shadow and Bone. Survivalist and dystopian with a touch of magic. :)
It's not a light read by any means, and there is quite a bit of trauma throughout this book. But what the author does incredibly well is navigate the trauma in a raw, honest, and very meaningful way. It was nicely done.
For those who are curious, here are the tropes I could think of:
- found family (one of the best ones I've read)
- grumpy/sunshine
- MMC falls first
- who did this to you?
- touch her, and I'll kill you
- hate to love
- one bed
- spice (2/5)
Trigger warnings include:
- torture and gore
- sexual abuse
- poverty and starvation
- realistic PTSD and trauma
- mental health struggles
I cannot WAIT for the next instalment of this series! It leaves off on a cliffhanger that has me screaming! I sincerely believe Kelsey has a very bright future ahead of her in this field, and that she will be an incredibly successful author. Do yourselves a favour and read this book!!
This post-apocalyptic and romantic story is heartwrenching, terrifying, beautiful, sweet, gut-punching, and stressful AF. It's been compared to Hunger Games and Divergent, and I would say there is even a little bit of Shadow and Bone. Survivalist and dystopian with a touch of magic. :)
It's not a light read by any means, and there is quite a bit of trauma throughout this book. But what the author does incredibly well is navigate the trauma in a raw, honest, and very meaningful way. It was nicely done.
For those who are curious, here are the tropes I could think of:
- found family (one of the best ones I've read)
- grumpy/sunshine
- MMC falls first
- who did this to you?
- touch her, and I'll kill you
- hate to love
- one bed
- spice (2/5)
Trigger warnings include:
- torture and gore
- sexual abuse
- poverty and starvation
- realistic PTSD and trauma
- mental health struggles
I cannot WAIT for the next instalment of this series! It leaves off on a cliffhanger that has me screaming! I sincerely believe Kelsey has a very bright future ahead of her in this field, and that she will be an incredibly successful author. Do yourselves a favour and read this book!!
November 20, 2025
If seeing someone cry while reading a book makes you want to pick it up immediately, let me save you the wait - this is that book.
Now, I do get emotional when reading, but I don't recall the last time I actually cried... but, Bones is devastatingly beautiful, and I cried multiple times while reading.
My heart physically ached in my chest, and I don’t say that lightly.
This is a post-apocalyptic romantasy that feels like Book of Eli collided with found family and a grumpy x sunshine romance. Bones, our FMC, was born with the power to heal - but in a world this broken, all it has brought her is pain, exploitation, and unimaginable trauma. She is scarred, hardened, and so used to surviving that she doesn’t know what it feels like to live.
When she’s taken in by a crew whose tight-knit bond is the first glimpse of true family she’s ever seen, her defenses start to falter. And then there’s Trey - the heart of the crew, the sunshine to her grump - who terrifies her more than any of her enemies because of how much he makes her feel. (Did I mention how great HOLDING HANDS can be!!!)
What struck me most about this book was how it balanced brutality with tenderness. It’s dark, heavy, and filled with emotional damage. And yet within the wreckage, there are moments of aching beauty—connection, trust, and the tiniest glimmers of hope. That contrast gutted me in the best way.
The pacing is sharp, the world feels both gritty and vivid, and the second half hit like a tidal wave. By the end I was hollowed out, raw, and sitting in stunned silence. And then the author’s note? Completely undid me all over again.
If you’re looking for something lighthearted or happy, this is not it. But if you want a book that will carve itself into your chest and leave you reeling, this is it. Truly, heartbreak and beauty stitched together.
This is the kind of story that makes you confront not just what it means to survive, but what you’re surviving for. And I can already tell book two is going to destroy me - in the best possible way.
Now, I do get emotional when reading, but I don't recall the last time I actually cried... but, Bones is devastatingly beautiful, and I cried multiple times while reading.
My heart physically ached in my chest, and I don’t say that lightly.
This is a post-apocalyptic romantasy that feels like Book of Eli collided with found family and a grumpy x sunshine romance. Bones, our FMC, was born with the power to heal - but in a world this broken, all it has brought her is pain, exploitation, and unimaginable trauma. She is scarred, hardened, and so used to surviving that she doesn’t know what it feels like to live.
When she’s taken in by a crew whose tight-knit bond is the first glimpse of true family she’s ever seen, her defenses start to falter. And then there’s Trey - the heart of the crew, the sunshine to her grump - who terrifies her more than any of her enemies because of how much he makes her feel. (Did I mention how great HOLDING HANDS can be!!!)
What struck me most about this book was how it balanced brutality with tenderness. It’s dark, heavy, and filled with emotional damage. And yet within the wreckage, there are moments of aching beauty—connection, trust, and the tiniest glimmers of hope. That contrast gutted me in the best way.
The pacing is sharp, the world feels both gritty and vivid, and the second half hit like a tidal wave. By the end I was hollowed out, raw, and sitting in stunned silence. And then the author’s note? Completely undid me all over again.
If you’re looking for something lighthearted or happy, this is not it. But if you want a book that will carve itself into your chest and leave you reeling, this is it. Truly, heartbreak and beauty stitched together.
This is the kind of story that makes you confront not just what it means to survive, but what you’re surviving for. And I can already tell book two is going to destroy me - in the best possible way.
December 14, 2023
I was a beta reader for this book and was blown away at how this brand new author created such amazing characters that grabbed your soul from the beginning. Well detailed, excellent character development, and an amazing well thought out storyline! I would describe this as dystopian with just enough magic to create something new. Hold on to your heart!!! I have been telling everyone I know about this book and I’m so happy that it’s being released! Now I anxiously wait for book 2!
December 13, 2023
I was a beta reader and LOVED this book so much I desperately wanted it published so I could share it with all my friends. It’s one of the best books I’ve read all year, and probably my favorite YA/New Adult book to date! I felt very invested in the plight of the main character right from the start which kept me reading and hoping for a good ending for her. The world and characters are very vivid without being overly detailed and descriptive like some other fantasy novels I’ve read. If you like stories with strong female characters set in a dystopian fantasy world, this is a must-read. This is easily going to be a gift for my friends as soon as it’s published!
March 17, 2025
OH. MY. GOD. This was the best book in the worst way. It was so real and visceral. I knew the book was going to be dark by the genre, even the book cover gave clues. She just looks so hollow. Nothing in the book shocked me, well maybe the last 5 chapters, I needed half a box of tissues to get through them. l haven’t cried like that for a book since reading the Throne of glass series, when Sam dies. It was heart wrenching.
The world was set up wonderfully, the pacing was great. I never felt like the story lagged or I wasn’t getting enough information. The development of the relationships between characters was also perfect, backstories unfolded naturally. Bones need to survive is something I very closely identified with, but also all the trauma and its effects. Trey just wasn’t going to be denied, which I loved/hated for her. I think her interactions with Mac are also significant, I just don’t know how yet. The softness we got to see between Bones and the children was something I didn’t know I needed, it added another layer.
Trying to describe how wonderful and terrible this book is without giving away anything is hard. I wanted to scream when I got to the cliffhanger! Now I’ll have to stalk the author on social media waiting for the next book, there damn well better be more to this story! So if the author happens to read this, you wrote something amazing, keep going! Also I hate you a little for the tears.
Follow me for more book reviews & recommendations on Instagram & TikTok via the links in my bio.
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy Romance
Relationship(s): M/F
Romance: Slow Burn 🔥
POV: Single, First person
Platform: Digital, Kindle
Length: 451 pages
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Darkness: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Series/Stand Alone: The Bones Series, book 1
Cliffhanger: YES
Themes/Tropes: Adult 18+, Suspense, Secrets, Rejected by family, Found family, Grumpy/Sunshine, Hate/Love, Powers, Past Trauma, Mental Health, PTSD,
Check Triggers⚠️: YES
The world was set up wonderfully, the pacing was great. I never felt like the story lagged or I wasn’t getting enough information. The development of the relationships between characters was also perfect, backstories unfolded naturally. Bones need to survive is something I very closely identified with, but also all the trauma and its effects. Trey just wasn’t going to be denied, which I loved/hated for her. I think her interactions with Mac are also significant, I just don’t know how yet. The softness we got to see between Bones and the children was something I didn’t know I needed, it added another layer.
Trying to describe how wonderful and terrible this book is without giving away anything is hard. I wanted to scream when I got to the cliffhanger! Now I’ll have to stalk the author on social media waiting for the next book, there damn well better be more to this story! So if the author happens to read this, you wrote something amazing, keep going! Also I hate you a little for the tears.
Follow me for more book reviews & recommendations on Instagram & TikTok via the links in my bio.
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy Romance
Relationship(s): M/F
Romance: Slow Burn 🔥
POV: Single, First person
Platform: Digital, Kindle
Length: 451 pages
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Darkness: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Series/Stand Alone: The Bones Series, book 1
Cliffhanger: YES
Themes/Tropes: Adult 18+, Suspense, Secrets, Rejected by family, Found family, Grumpy/Sunshine, Hate/Love, Powers, Past Trauma, Mental Health, PTSD,
Check Triggers⚠️: YES
October 25, 2025
This book was very character driven, in fact I don’t think we really got much world building till maybe 75% in and even then it felt very minimal. The FMC was great, the supporting characters were good and I flew through reading this one.
Sadly I also guessed pretty much everything that was going to happen. And I went in so blind! At 20% I was like is this even a romance? I didn’t know it was dystopian before starting. So how did I manage to guess what was going to happen. And that ruined it for me. Came close to crying, but no real tears shed.
The narrator was fine, nothing outstanding. But for narrating the whole thing herself she did well. Would have loved a male narrator too.
Sadly I also guessed pretty much everything that was going to happen. And I went in so blind! At 20% I was like is this even a romance? I didn’t know it was dystopian before starting. So how did I manage to guess what was going to happen. And that ruined it for me. Came close to crying, but no real tears shed.
The narrator was fine, nothing outstanding. But for narrating the whole thing herself she did well. Would have loved a male narrator too.
September 19, 2024
5 ⭐️ now I’m just gonna go to bed for a few days 🥲
If you want to be entertained but emotionally battered…if you want the most amazing found family vibes in a post-apocalyptic world…if you need to be yanked out of a reading slump only to be shoved into a book hangover immediately after reading this because it will consume your every thought (hey, hi, it’s me)… then add this to tbr right now! Seriously, more people need to read this book. This is me begging 🧎♀️🧎♀️🧎♀️
If you want to be entertained but emotionally battered…if you want the most amazing found family vibes in a post-apocalyptic world…if you need to be yanked out of a reading slump only to be shoved into a book hangover immediately after reading this because it will consume your every thought (hey, hi, it’s me)… then add this to tbr right now! Seriously, more people need to read this book. This is me begging 🧎♀️🧎♀️🧎♀️
November 5, 2025
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
4.25 stars
I knew virtually nothing about Bones except for the fact that it would probably be heartbreaking, and it more than lived up to that reputation. It's a gritty post-apocalyptic romantasy with some dangerous gang vibes, a simmering romance, a spark of magic, strong found family, and a shitload of trauma that just hurts oh so good, and I was so here for it all.
K.L. Speer sure knows how to start off with a strong hook, and I immediately felt invested in the journey of our broken but fierce FMC Bones. Just as she breaks free from her 12-year-imprisonment by a band of raiders who have used her miraculous healing powers to wield nothing but death, she gets captured by another crew who drag her off to their mountain stronghold. Though, while life is far from safe and perfect in The Vault, she soon discovers that it's not a prison but more of a home, if only she can allow it to be. Still haunted by the ghosts of her past, she'll have to navigate her trauma and learn how to trust, love, and be loved again, which scares her more than any of the horrors she's lived through.
Now, Bones is really one of those books where your investment in the characters is going to make or break it, so it's a good thing that Speer's character work absolutely shines. Bones is absolutely the star of the show, and her emotionally vulnerable first person narration made me feel all her intense inner turmoil so deeply. But then, the side characters also leap off the page with personality, and the unexpectedly wholesome found family vibes are absolutely off the charts. We've got characters who you can love, hate, love to hate, and hate to love, and each of them is as beautifully complex as the next.
It's quite remarkable to me how Speer created such an addictive air of tension and suspense when there is relatively little plot to speak of, all because these characters' inner journeys and their developing relationships had me in such a chokehold. I especially enjoyed Bones' dynamic with all the protective male characters (with soft hearts) who completely defy her belief that all men are predators, and I really appreciated that the romance in this story was so slow-burn and tender. Like, this man really shows her that he loves her through his actions before he ever confirms it with his words, and their unexpected journey together totally wrecked me in all the best ways.
And don't get me wrong, Bones is a very high stakes story with lots of brutal, nail-biting action/torture sequences and some dangerous whispers of a brewing rebellion, but I only cared so much about those aspects because Speer does such a phenomenal job of interweaving the internal and external conflicts with each other. Moreover, the dystopian world building is just strong enough to make you feel immersed without drowning you in the details, and Speer's evocative prose in combination with Megan Carver's vibrant audiobook narration made this such an incredibly smooth and emotionally captivating reading experience for me.
To me, Bones has a similar appeal to SenLinYu's Alchemised, except here the romance is healthy and supportive instead of controversial and toxic, and I love it for that. While this story is absolutely not for the faint of heart (seriously, check TWs), I would highly recommend it if you want a dark romantasy that actually dares to take risks and stand out from the crowd. Especially the last 20% had some brutally bold twists and turns that left me absolutely hollowed out inside in the best way possible, and the cliffhanger ending has me dying to dive into book 2 asap.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
4.25 stars
I knew virtually nothing about Bones except for the fact that it would probably be heartbreaking, and it more than lived up to that reputation. It's a gritty post-apocalyptic romantasy with some dangerous gang vibes, a simmering romance, a spark of magic, strong found family, and a shitload of trauma that just hurts oh so good, and I was so here for it all.
K.L. Speer sure knows how to start off with a strong hook, and I immediately felt invested in the journey of our broken but fierce FMC Bones. Just as she breaks free from her 12-year-imprisonment by a band of raiders who have used her miraculous healing powers to wield nothing but death, she gets captured by another crew who drag her off to their mountain stronghold. Though, while life is far from safe and perfect in The Vault, she soon discovers that it's not a prison but more of a home, if only she can allow it to be. Still haunted by the ghosts of her past, she'll have to navigate her trauma and learn how to trust, love, and be loved again, which scares her more than any of the horrors she's lived through.
Now, Bones is really one of those books where your investment in the characters is going to make or break it, so it's a good thing that Speer's character work absolutely shines. Bones is absolutely the star of the show, and her emotionally vulnerable first person narration made me feel all her intense inner turmoil so deeply. But then, the side characters also leap off the page with personality, and the unexpectedly wholesome found family vibes are absolutely off the charts. We've got characters who you can love, hate, love to hate, and hate to love, and each of them is as beautifully complex as the next.
It's quite remarkable to me how Speer created such an addictive air of tension and suspense when there is relatively little plot to speak of, all because these characters' inner journeys and their developing relationships had me in such a chokehold. I especially enjoyed Bones' dynamic with all the protective male characters (with soft hearts) who completely defy her belief that all men are predators, and I really appreciated that the romance in this story was so slow-burn and tender. Like, this man really shows her that he loves her through his actions before he ever confirms it with his words, and their unexpected journey together totally wrecked me in all the best ways.
And don't get me wrong, Bones is a very high stakes story with lots of brutal, nail-biting action/torture sequences and some dangerous whispers of a brewing rebellion, but I only cared so much about those aspects because Speer does such a phenomenal job of interweaving the internal and external conflicts with each other. Moreover, the dystopian world building is just strong enough to make you feel immersed without drowning you in the details, and Speer's evocative prose in combination with Megan Carver's vibrant audiobook narration made this such an incredibly smooth and emotionally captivating reading experience for me.
To me, Bones has a similar appeal to SenLinYu's Alchemised, except here the romance is healthy and supportive instead of controversial and toxic, and I love it for that. While this story is absolutely not for the faint of heart (seriously, check TWs), I would highly recommend it if you want a dark romantasy that actually dares to take risks and stand out from the crowd. Especially the last 20% had some brutally bold twists and turns that left me absolutely hollowed out inside in the best way possible, and the cliffhanger ending has me dying to dive into book 2 asap.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 31, 2025
Audio Book ARC review. Huge thank you to Netgalley and K.L. Speer for this advanced copy.
Genre: Distopian Fantasy
⭐️5/5
🌶2/5
🎧5/5
🧠7/10 (The brain power used here is from emotional weight)
Cliffhanger: 5/10
Noteworthy: This is a review for the audio book. Single POV with single narration. Book 1 of an incomplete series. Audio book publication date is 11/4/2025. Check content warnings as this book contains dark and heavy subject matter.
Let me start by saying that I'm writing this review with a stress headache from the gut punches this book delivered. Megan Carver is incredible in her narration of this story. Her ability to lend distinctive tones for each character including multiple male characters was so good. Her slight accent for Bones gave the character an undertone of innocence despite the hell she's seen and been through. The weight of guilt, anger and grief warred within the character and Megan portrayed how they live inside her in harmony very well. Her acting pulls you in and grips you by the throat at times. Just so good!
The story itself is very character driven and you feel it as these characters start to feel like old friends to you. The world building is light but honestly it's not needed at this point. We know this is a post-apocalyptic world where everyone is clawing to survive. The element of magic is the biggest mystery but sits in the background waiting for it's moment. Why this magic? Why her? Why now? So many questions! The rawness of the interactions between Bones and every character is so strained. Her reactions and resistance to hope is painful but realistic.
If you love distopian books that try their best to rip out your heart, definitely give this audio a try!
Genre: Distopian Fantasy
⭐️5/5
🌶2/5
🎧5/5
🧠7/10 (The brain power used here is from emotional weight)
Cliffhanger: 5/10
Noteworthy: This is a review for the audio book. Single POV with single narration. Book 1 of an incomplete series. Audio book publication date is 11/4/2025. Check content warnings as this book contains dark and heavy subject matter.
Let me start by saying that I'm writing this review with a stress headache from the gut punches this book delivered. Megan Carver is incredible in her narration of this story. Her ability to lend distinctive tones for each character including multiple male characters was so good. Her slight accent for Bones gave the character an undertone of innocence despite the hell she's seen and been through. The weight of guilt, anger and grief warred within the character and Megan portrayed how they live inside her in harmony very well. Her acting pulls you in and grips you by the throat at times. Just so good!
The story itself is very character driven and you feel it as these characters start to feel like old friends to you. The world building is light but honestly it's not needed at this point. We know this is a post-apocalyptic world where everyone is clawing to survive. The element of magic is the biggest mystery but sits in the background waiting for it's moment. Why this magic? Why her? Why now? So many questions! The rawness of the interactions between Bones and every character is so strained. Her reactions and resistance to hope is painful but realistic.
If you love distopian books that try their best to rip out your heart, definitely give this audio a try!
July 2, 2024
This book gave me life, then ripped it out of my chest so fast. As much as I am in pain right now, I’m going to make everyone read this book because it is SO.GOOD.
November 11, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ because the beginning was a little slow but holy shit I am so severely unwell
I love these characters so much and I am so so so concerned for them oh no 😭😭 The first 40-50% of this book (it’s not very long) was VERY very character driven without a ton happening plot-wise. But it really paid off in emotional impact.
The FMC, Bones, is a healer who was captured and forced to work with this tight knit crew for the corrupt Vault leader, Madame. This ends up being an amazing found family who heals Bones in so many ways. She becomes a hero, healing so many (even those who want to hurt her), falls in love, and finally starts opening up and being vulnerable about every horrible thing she’s gone through 😭
I am excited but genuinely SCARED to start book 2 after that ending 😭😭😭
I love these characters so much and I am so so so concerned for them oh no 😭😭 The first 40-50% of this book (it’s not very long) was VERY very character driven without a ton happening plot-wise. But it really paid off in emotional impact.
The FMC, Bones, is a healer who was captured and forced to work with this tight knit crew for the corrupt Vault leader, Madame. This ends up being an amazing found family who heals Bones in so many ways. She becomes a hero, healing so many (even those who want to hurt her), falls in love, and finally starts opening up and being vulnerable about every horrible thing she’s gone through 😭
I am excited but genuinely SCARED to start book 2 after that ending 😭😭😭
September 12, 2025
4.25 big sad stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 this book will likely make you have big feelings, ranging everywhere from giddy to mad to so sad to pride. Which is a good ride in a book, but I have a few minor things that took me out of the journey along the way. I still loved it though & will be reading book 2. Let’s get into my thoughts!
PLOT
In a post-apocalyptic world Bones finds herself with a rare, impossible power; the power to heal. For years she had been the number one asset of the gang she found herself apart of, when one day shit hits the fan & she finds herself on the run & somehow ingrained into another community, where she’s just another asset. This book has
- an FMC absolutely going through it; trauma, grief, betrayals, rage, etc.
- grumpy/sunshine romantic dynamic
- apocalyptic world a la The Last Of Us (sans zombies)
- character journey primarily vs. action & plot-driven
- dark themes throughout, please read triggers
- found family through & through
- oppression & rebellion
- low spice
PROS
- This is an emotional journey. Bones & her story will make you feel things. My eyes welled, though I didn’t properly cry (I almost never do) so that tells you there are def feelings to be felt.
- Bones as an FMC was written so fabulously. I was so proud of her. I was happy for her. & she also pissed me off so much sometimes. Through all of these, I completely know why she did everything (though 1 thing I do still hate). Her story explained her flaws thoroughly & you understood her troubles entirely. She was a good person struggling to survive & man was her journey something. She was a great example of a flawed FMC you’re still rooting for.
- Trey was such a light in this book. Every scene he was in was brighter because of him & I literally just adored him. He made me giggle & kick my feet & swoon & love him.
- The exploration of grief I think was really well done. I could tell the author was familiar with it & as someone who has grieved a lot in my life, it was nice to see it represented so well on page.
- The found family broke me heart in the best way. I loved each of them so much for their different roles, & how they all worked together to fix what was broken.
- Solid villain. Hoped they choked the entire book, though we didn’t really get their motivation except for power, which I find boring sometimes I think it made sense in this story.
- Last quarter of the book was great; so much action, so much emotion, plot movement, & the ending? Bah!
CONS
- I was about halfway through when I asked myself “what… is the larger story? What is the actual plot?” & then had to sort of recenter myself & be like “okay this is a character journey” — which isn’t BAD. I love a character journey. But yeah there was just like, no plot for so long I was sort of like “what is the point exactly?” which took me out of the story a bit.
- Reaaaaaally minimal worldbuilding. I do think we should have gotten more setup for book 1 in a series. There are a lot of questions about why the world is the way it is that my brain had to make up based on other media I’d seen/read vs. knowing if that’s actually correct for this story. So I wish we had more.
- The timeline at the end seemed a bit wonky/unreal & countered itself unless we weren’t shared specific details about some modes of transportation.
⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
:
.
No really
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
- I’m so devastated about T. I’m maintaining some random hope that when she visited his grave & grabbed the dirt she somehow shoved healing magic into it to bring him back. But I’m so, so, so sad about it. I teared up when she was at his grave.
- Mac & Bones had some moments this book that had me v 👀👀 because of T & now I wonder what that looks like in the next book & idk how to feel about it.
- I’m positive it was Zip who was hurting Clarity so I wonder if we talk about that in book 2.
- We spent days?? Weeks?? Idk, traveling with Bones & Trey to the dam. & then when they get there & get got, she’s drugged once & magically they’re back at the Vault? The timing didn’t really make sense & I was just like “wait how the fuck”. I’m guessing they had a vehicle vs. a horse but wouldn’t it still be a long way given the fact that Madame deemed it too far to manage?
.
:
.
:
:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
K BYEEEEE
PLOT
In a post-apocalyptic world Bones finds herself with a rare, impossible power; the power to heal. For years she had been the number one asset of the gang she found herself apart of, when one day shit hits the fan & she finds herself on the run & somehow ingrained into another community, where she’s just another asset. This book has
- an FMC absolutely going through it; trauma, grief, betrayals, rage, etc.
- grumpy/sunshine romantic dynamic
- apocalyptic world a la The Last Of Us (sans zombies)
- character journey primarily vs. action & plot-driven
- dark themes throughout, please read triggers
- found family through & through
- oppression & rebellion
- low spice
PROS
- This is an emotional journey. Bones & her story will make you feel things. My eyes welled, though I didn’t properly cry (I almost never do) so that tells you there are def feelings to be felt.
- Bones as an FMC was written so fabulously. I was so proud of her. I was happy for her. & she also pissed me off so much sometimes. Through all of these, I completely know why she did everything (though 1 thing I do still hate). Her story explained her flaws thoroughly & you understood her troubles entirely. She was a good person struggling to survive & man was her journey something. She was a great example of a flawed FMC you’re still rooting for.
- Trey was such a light in this book. Every scene he was in was brighter because of him & I literally just adored him. He made me giggle & kick my feet & swoon & love him.
- The exploration of grief I think was really well done. I could tell the author was familiar with it & as someone who has grieved a lot in my life, it was nice to see it represented so well on page.
- The found family broke me heart in the best way. I loved each of them so much for their different roles, & how they all worked together to fix what was broken.
- Solid villain. Hoped they choked the entire book, though we didn’t really get their motivation except for power, which I find boring sometimes I think it made sense in this story.
- Last quarter of the book was great; so much action, so much emotion, plot movement, & the ending? Bah!
CONS
- I was about halfway through when I asked myself “what… is the larger story? What is the actual plot?” & then had to sort of recenter myself & be like “okay this is a character journey” — which isn’t BAD. I love a character journey. But yeah there was just like, no plot for so long I was sort of like “what is the point exactly?” which took me out of the story a bit.
- Reaaaaaally minimal worldbuilding. I do think we should have gotten more setup for book 1 in a series. There are a lot of questions about why the world is the way it is that my brain had to make up based on other media I’d seen/read vs. knowing if that’s actually correct for this story. So I wish we had more.
- The timeline at the end seemed a bit wonky/unreal & countered itself unless we weren’t shared specific details about some modes of transportation.
⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
:
.
No really
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
- I’m so devastated about T. I’m maintaining some random hope that when she visited his grave & grabbed the dirt she somehow shoved healing magic into it to bring him back. But I’m so, so, so sad about it. I teared up when she was at his grave.
- Mac & Bones had some moments this book that had me v 👀👀 because of T & now I wonder what that looks like in the next book & idk how to feel about it.
- I’m positive it was Zip who was hurting Clarity so I wonder if we talk about that in book 2.
- We spent days?? Weeks?? Idk, traveling with Bones & Trey to the dam. & then when they get there & get got, she’s drugged once & magically they’re back at the Vault? The timing didn’t really make sense & I was just like “wait how the fuck”. I’m guessing they had a vehicle vs. a horse but wouldn’t it still be a long way given the fact that Madame deemed it too far to manage?
.
:
.
:
:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
K BYEEEEE
November 26, 2025
BONES
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was not ready to become attached to Bones! This was a slow, character driven story, in a post apocalyptic world.
You're introduced to a young woman names Bones. From a young age she has mysterious healing powers. But, dispite her healing ability, everywhere Bone goes, death seems to follow her.
As she is captured, you slowly unravel everything this poor woman has endured. All she can focus on is survival and sometimes that means pushing everyone away.
Definitely check your trigger warnings and trust the process.
You can look forward to:
Post Apocalyptic Romantasy
Found Family
Slow Burn
Black Cat
Golden Retireiver MMC
PTSD & Trauma
Thank you @netgalley and @author.klspeer for this arc.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was not ready to become attached to Bones! This was a slow, character driven story, in a post apocalyptic world.
You're introduced to a young woman names Bones. From a young age she has mysterious healing powers. But, dispite her healing ability, everywhere Bone goes, death seems to follow her.
As she is captured, you slowly unravel everything this poor woman has endured. All she can focus on is survival and sometimes that means pushing everyone away.
Definitely check your trigger warnings and trust the process.
You can look forward to:
Post Apocalyptic Romantasy
Found Family
Slow Burn
Black Cat
Golden Retireiver MMC
PTSD & Trauma
Thank you @netgalley and @author.klspeer for this arc.
June 12, 2025
hahhhaha ow, this one hurts. Bones, my love, I'm crying and angry with you.
Bones is a post-apocalyptic dark romantasy centered around our FMC, Bones, ironic, I know. Bones has magical healing abilities that involve healing all ailments and wounds. She has lived, well rather, survived a life under the thumb of her abusers. Though her abilities could be used to save people, they are reserved only for her abuser. When Bones is captured by another crew, she can use her powers to heal the people living in the hold, so long as she follows her orders when she is summoned to the dungeon by Madame. Bones finds herself feeling at home, only for it to be short lived and once again she is fighting for survival and freedom, but this time, it's not only for herself.
Ten out of Ten! TEN OUT OF TEN! Bones has been through hell and back, she is the epitome of strength and selflessness. Despite her life of abuse, she continues to hope for freedom and dreams of using her abilities for good. She wants to help people, save people, but no one helps save her. When she meets Mac, Trey, Griz & Sam you see her ever so slowly start to have hope in humanity again, that not everyone is bad, and not everyone will hurt her. She starts seeing her worth as a human, rather than an object to be used. I felt so bad for Bones through out the entire duration of this story, she never catches a break.
I can only hope that in book two she uses her anger, grief & trauma for vengeance on all of those who destroyed everything. As far as her crew goes, I love all of them so much. They all have such a different personality and it makes the group so well rounded and comical when they are together. I love my boys.
Bones is a post-apocalyptic dark romantasy centered around our FMC, Bones, ironic, I know. Bones has magical healing abilities that involve healing all ailments and wounds. She has lived, well rather, survived a life under the thumb of her abusers. Though her abilities could be used to save people, they are reserved only for her abuser. When Bones is captured by another crew, she can use her powers to heal the people living in the hold, so long as she follows her orders when she is summoned to the dungeon by Madame. Bones finds herself feeling at home, only for it to be short lived and once again she is fighting for survival and freedom, but this time, it's not only for herself.
Ten out of Ten! TEN OUT OF TEN! Bones has been through hell and back, she is the epitome of strength and selflessness. Despite her life of abuse, she continues to hope for freedom and dreams of using her abilities for good. She wants to help people, save people, but no one helps save her. When she meets Mac, Trey, Griz & Sam you see her ever so slowly start to have hope in humanity again, that not everyone is bad, and not everyone will hurt her. She starts seeing her worth as a human, rather than an object to be used. I felt so bad for Bones through out the entire duration of this story, she never catches a break.
I can only hope that in book two she uses her anger, grief & trauma for vengeance on all of those who destroyed everything. As far as her crew goes, I love all of them so much. They all have such a different personality and it makes the group so well rounded and comical when they are together. I love my boys.
March 30, 2024
4 stars.
A pretty solid debut! And also a pretty devastating story...
Wow. Okay. So. First off, the cover is what initially drew my attention. I love it, and I'm so glad it popped up on my IG feed because this might be the best self-published book I've read. We've got a post-apocalyptic dystopian "romantasy" and I was incredibly intrigued by the synopsis. As the first book in a planned three-part series, I think it does a pretty solid job of pulling you in. I'm definitely going to read the sequel whenever it comes out.
The writing was pretty excellent. I had no problems with it at all, and there are some really beautiful quotes in here. The characters are everything. I love them. Found family is my favourite trope of them all, and although we really only get an introduction to most of them, I'm hoping we'll really get into them more in the next books. Their relationships and personalities were well expressed though.
This is a story that deals with some heavy themes. The book has a mile-long list of trigger warnings, so if you have any triggers, check that list before getting into this. One of the themes is grief, and man, it had me *sobbing*. When a book has you really feeling things, it's doing its job well, in my opinion. Also, I think that a lot of what happens here, both mundane and not, feels very true to reality, something I really appreciate.
This isn't perfect. I could have done with some more world-building, some of the characters need more depth, and annoyingly I didn't always agree with our main character's decisions (I could understand the reasoning behind them, though, which matters, but I did shake my head at her a few times lol). But the characters do really make up for a lot and I'm very intrigued at seeing where this story goes from here. I see the potential, and since there will be two more books in the series I don't see why the things I feel I'm missing here can't be handled in the next instalments.
All in all I think this is a good debut, especially considering it's self-published. I'm impressed! And I'm sad that I can't get a physical copy because shipping is insane but one day I will have this on my shelf.
A pretty solid debut! And also a pretty devastating story...
Wow. Okay. So. First off, the cover is what initially drew my attention. I love it, and I'm so glad it popped up on my IG feed because this might be the best self-published book I've read. We've got a post-apocalyptic dystopian "romantasy" and I was incredibly intrigued by the synopsis. As the first book in a planned three-part series, I think it does a pretty solid job of pulling you in. I'm definitely going to read the sequel whenever it comes out.
The writing was pretty excellent. I had no problems with it at all, and there are some really beautiful quotes in here. The characters are everything. I love them. Found family is my favourite trope of them all, and although we really only get an introduction to most of them, I'm hoping we'll really get into them more in the next books. Their relationships and personalities were well expressed though.
This is a story that deals with some heavy themes. The book has a mile-long list of trigger warnings, so if you have any triggers, check that list before getting into this. One of the themes is grief, and man, it had me *sobbing*. When a book has you really feeling things, it's doing its job well, in my opinion. Also, I think that a lot of what happens here, both mundane and not, feels very true to reality, something I really appreciate.
This isn't perfect. I could have done with some more world-building, some of the characters need more depth, and annoyingly I didn't always agree with our main character's decisions (I could understand the reasoning behind them, though, which matters, but I did shake my head at her a few times lol). But the characters do really make up for a lot and I'm very intrigued at seeing where this story goes from here. I see the potential, and since there will be two more books in the series I don't see why the things I feel I'm missing here can't be handled in the next instalments.
All in all I think this is a good debut, especially considering it's self-published. I'm impressed! And I'm sad that I can't get a physical copy because shipping is insane but one day I will have this on my shelf.
May 27, 2024
A dystopian novel following Bones who has magical powers to heal others. I love a good healer story and was super invested for the first 30% or so, but as we kept going along there were too many plot holes for me. I also felt like the story dragged for the middle 50% doing the same thing over and over. I do appreciate that the author wasn’t afraid to “go there“ and it is a very dark novel. The dialogue was a bit cringy at times. For example, when the main characters were trying to get to know each other and were asking each other’s favorite color, etc. it went on for a good 2 pages… I ended up skimming quite a bit near the end. The art for this book is amazing though and I’m definitely intrigued and would continue the series.
November 2, 2025
“I couldn’t find a way to bend this time. Because I didn’t break, I shattered.”
This book broke me. I am in little pieces on the floor because K. L. Speer stomped all over my heart and I could do nothing about it.
Narrator Megan Carver brought this book alive. I can’t believe this is a solo narration, she made every single character sound unique and identifiable. This has a huge cast of characters, that was no easy feat. I think listening to this book hit me in a way that reading it would not have. My heart is broken, shattered… I am not the same person that started this book. It defies genres; it’s dystopian, it’s a love story, it’s healing from deep trauma, and it’s not any one of those things but all of those things. This was so vivid, it makes the perfect audiobook. It comes alive with Megan Carver’s narration. I felt like I was watching this play out before my eyes, I was IN the world. I SAW it happening. It was so immersive, I still feel like I’m in the story while the world moves around me. It felt so gritty, so brutal, and yet so incredibly plausible. I have never wanted to reach through my phone to give a character a hug more than I do Bones. She broke my heart, my soul. I need a fuzzy blanket, some hot chocolate, and a warm cat to bring me back to life.
The audiobook of Bones will be available Nov 4. Do yourself a favor, listen to this one. It’s an incredible experience, you won’t want it any other way. (Just maybe have a cozy/light book to read after.)
Thank you to Tantor Media | Tantor Audio for providing this ALC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This book broke me. I am in little pieces on the floor because K. L. Speer stomped all over my heart and I could do nothing about it.
Narrator Megan Carver brought this book alive. I can’t believe this is a solo narration, she made every single character sound unique and identifiable. This has a huge cast of characters, that was no easy feat. I think listening to this book hit me in a way that reading it would not have. My heart is broken, shattered… I am not the same person that started this book. It defies genres; it’s dystopian, it’s a love story, it’s healing from deep trauma, and it’s not any one of those things but all of those things. This was so vivid, it makes the perfect audiobook. It comes alive with Megan Carver’s narration. I felt like I was watching this play out before my eyes, I was IN the world. I SAW it happening. It was so immersive, I still feel like I’m in the story while the world moves around me. It felt so gritty, so brutal, and yet so incredibly plausible. I have never wanted to reach through my phone to give a character a hug more than I do Bones. She broke my heart, my soul. I need a fuzzy blanket, some hot chocolate, and a warm cat to bring me back to life.
The audiobook of Bones will be available Nov 4. Do yourself a favor, listen to this one. It’s an incredible experience, you won’t want it any other way. (Just maybe have a cozy/light book to read after.)
Thank you to Tantor Media | Tantor Audio for providing this ALC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 29, 2025
I had the pleasure of listening to the ALC. the Narrator did an amazing job for not having a duel narration.
The story !! So good. Growth and found family’s that ending wtf!!!! Decently hooked on this series now !!
The story !! So good. Growth and found family’s that ending wtf!!!! Decently hooked on this series now !!
April 13, 2025
The emotional devastation I am feeling and experiencing right now is at an all-time high Miss K.L…. I will be sending you my therapy bill because holy fuck this book was so good but so extremely sad. This is based in a post apocalyptic world our FMC has healing powers. Her name is bones and all her life. She’s been taken advantage of for her power used and abused. Everybody wants something from her and anytime she tries to carve a little piece of happiness for herself It’s taken away. She has extreme trauma because of it and puts up these walls to prevent people from getting in.
The pacing in this book was really good the first half and the second half it was just a whirlwind of emotions and devastation, and it gutted me and needless to say I will be picking up Book two but I am terrified.
Then to read the author acknowledgment just ripped my heart out even further I cannot express Enough, how good this book was just please make sure to check your trigger warnings because this is a very dark book. It covers very heavy, subject matters. Bravo to the author for being able to draw such raw emotions out in this story. 5⭐️
The pacing in this book was really good the first half and the second half it was just a whirlwind of emotions and devastation, and it gutted me and needless to say I will be picking up Book two but I am terrified.
Then to read the author acknowledgment just ripped my heart out even further I cannot express Enough, how good this book was just please make sure to check your trigger warnings because this is a very dark book. It covers very heavy, subject matters. Bravo to the author for being able to draw such raw emotions out in this story. 5⭐️
January 1, 2025
Dnf at 80%.
This was a slog. I really really wanted to love this because the premise sounded so promising, but it dragged so much it was painful. Hardly anything happened. It was too repetitive and I felt like I read the same chapter 10 times. There was also no world-building to speak of, everything was so vague.
The amount of suffering the fmc goes through in the past and present was too much for me and there was never anything satisfying enough to balance it out. She was so moody and sad all the time it made it hard to root for her.
I didn’t like the whole “I’m pushing them away to protect them” thing. It felt like a cop out. I would have much preferred if she’d finally learned to trust them and talked to them so they could help her. Instead, she has a martyr complex and has to sacrifice herself all the time while bottling everything up.
Overall, a ridiculously depressing, frustrating, and unsatisfying read.
~Sorta spoilery~
This was a slog. I really really wanted to love this because the premise sounded so promising, but it dragged so much it was painful. Hardly anything happened. It was too repetitive and I felt like I read the same chapter 10 times. There was also no world-building to speak of, everything was so vague.
The amount of suffering the fmc goes through in the past and present was too much for me and there was never anything satisfying enough to balance it out. She was so moody and sad all the time it made it hard to root for her.
I didn’t like the whole “I’m pushing them away to protect them” thing. It felt like a cop out. I would have much preferred if she’d finally learned to trust them and talked to them so they could help her. Instead, she has a martyr complex and has to sacrifice herself all the time while bottling everything up.
Overall, a ridiculously depressing, frustrating, and unsatisfying read.
~Sorta spoilery~
August 19, 2025
The first 30% or so of this book was super interesting to me and clipped along at a good pace. Then, it became a little slower and was a lot of her being "fine" and pushing people away for a long time. There was a lot of suffering for the FMC, and it never was balanced out with anything positive. I love the setting and the vibes, but the world wasn't as fleshed out as I was hoping.
February 28, 2024
DNF at around 50%. I was willing to give it a chance but there was too much darkness in this story.
I get the need for drama in a book, but what's the point of depressing myself with a story that doesn't have any positive development?
I get the need for drama in a book, but what's the point of depressing myself with a story that doesn't have any positive development?
July 14, 2025
Well this one hurt!this was a story about a girl who went through absolute hell learning to let down her walls, and boy was it an absolute gut punch. This takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, and Bones has magic healing powers that can’t be explained. She’s a deeply traumatized character that has so many guards up to try to protect herself and those around her. Throughout the book, you see so much of her internal struggle and see her slowly lower her walls to let people in
Trey was absolute sunshine and I love him with my whole heart. The love he had for Bones was so pure. The other characters, Mac, Sam, and Griz were absolutely wonderful, and the found family in this is immaculate.
This is so unique compared to anything else I’ve read. I feel absolutely sick after that ending and will be immediately starting book 2.
Trey was absolute sunshine and I love him with my whole heart. The love he had for Bones was so pure. The other characters, Mac, Sam, and Griz were absolutely wonderful, and the found family in this is immaculate.
This is so unique compared to anything else I’ve read. I feel absolutely sick after that ending and will be immediately starting book 2.
December 11, 2025
Did I assume this book would make my heart hurt? Yes. Was I expecting this level of devastation? Not even close. Bones had me actually sobbing more than once, and I am still not okay.
For a debut novel, the sheer depth of emotion in this story is unbelievable. There were definitely moments when my frustration with Bones was pretty strong. But those feelings came from caring, and from how deeply the story pulls you into her choices.
And the found family? Ugh. Mac’s crew is something special, and I loved every single one of them. The way they carry all that pain and loss while still choosing hope really got to me.
This is only the beginning, and honestly? I’m terrified… but I can’t walk away now.
For a debut novel, the sheer depth of emotion in this story is unbelievable. There were definitely moments when my frustration with Bones was pretty strong. But those feelings came from caring, and from how deeply the story pulls you into her choices.
And the found family? Ugh. Mac’s crew is something special, and I loved every single one of them. The way they carry all that pain and loss while still choosing hope really got to me.
This is only the beginning, and honestly? I’m terrified… but I can’t walk away now.
November 5, 2025
I'm somewhere between 3.5-4 ⭐️ (gladly rounding up to 4 for the audiobook performance)
There’s something about dystopias that never fails to scratch the part of my brain that loves to dissect power structures, and this one delivers plenty to chew on. The world is grim, violent, and unapologetically misogynistic, the kind of setting where women’s worth is reduced to their utility, but also where women are even crueller, when in power. It’s uncomfortable, but intentionally so.
Our protagonist, Bones, is a healer. Which, in this world, makes her both highly valuable and endangered. She’s no damsel in distress, though. Her strength isn’t the loud kind—it’s the kind that simmers beneath exhaustion, the kind that refuses to break even when her gift is weaponised against her. She’s dragged into a compound led by a cruel, power-drunk woman, forced to use her healing abilities not to save but to torture.
Bones is sharp, scarred, and unbreakable in that quiet, exhausted way that makes you want to protect her—not because she’s fragile, but because she’s endured too much already. I didn’t want her to soften. I didn’t want her to trust. I wanted her to survive. And even when she made frustrating choices, I understood them. That’s the mark of good character writing....when frustration comes from empathy, not disbelief. And Speer delivered here.
The side characters are what make this story stand out! Sam and Griz completely stole my heart. Sam’s arc in particular was stunning—shocking in places, but brilliantly done. Trey (my love) and Mac were both strong presences, and my heart truly broke for Clare Bear… in more ways than one. Then there's my fierce little Apple! I adored her. I was genuinely terrified for the kids in the compound, which says a lot about how grounded and human these characters feel. Every one of them has dimension, purpose, and emotional weight. They offer rare moments of warmth, gallows humour, fleeting levity, the kind of connection that feels stolen from a collapsing world. But Bones remains the heart of it all: enigmatic, dangerous, and deeply human, carrying an emotional weight that might have benefitted from unravelling just a little earlier.
Because here's my main gripe: The book itself walks a fine line between fascinating and frustrating. It’s raw, emotional, and tense, but also occasionally repetitive. The pacing limps through the middle, looping through horror and survival, until it starts to lose its edge. You sense the author reaching for depth through trauma, found family, and a painfully slow-burn romance, but every so often it feels like the story gets lost in its own suffering. There's a lot of healing, sleeping, healing, sleeping, and healing ...again.
Another issue was the world-building. You’re thrown straight into the chaos with little exposition, which at first feels disorienting. This isn’t the kind of dystopia that pauses to explain itself; it simply exists—harsh and functional. I wonder whether this was done on purpose and if book 2 will build on it.
Still, the audiobook performance makes up for a lot. The narrator breathes life and urgency into the text, pulling out every layer of emotion the prose sometimes only hints at. What might have been a draining read becomes something magnetic—dangerous, raw, and strangely intimate.
This book and the series have a lot of potential. Book 1 ends on such a strong note (and a huge cliffy) that you can't help but want to jump into the next book.
*I received an ALC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Receiving the ALC had no influence on my review or rating.
There’s something about dystopias that never fails to scratch the part of my brain that loves to dissect power structures, and this one delivers plenty to chew on. The world is grim, violent, and unapologetically misogynistic, the kind of setting where women’s worth is reduced to their utility, but also where women are even crueller, when in power. It’s uncomfortable, but intentionally so.
Our protagonist, Bones, is a healer. Which, in this world, makes her both highly valuable and endangered. She’s no damsel in distress, though. Her strength isn’t the loud kind—it’s the kind that simmers beneath exhaustion, the kind that refuses to break even when her gift is weaponised against her. She’s dragged into a compound led by a cruel, power-drunk woman, forced to use her healing abilities not to save but to torture.
Bones is sharp, scarred, and unbreakable in that quiet, exhausted way that makes you want to protect her—not because she’s fragile, but because she’s endured too much already. I didn’t want her to soften. I didn’t want her to trust. I wanted her to survive. And even when she made frustrating choices, I understood them. That’s the mark of good character writing....when frustration comes from empathy, not disbelief. And Speer delivered here.
The side characters are what make this story stand out! Sam and Griz completely stole my heart. Sam’s arc in particular was stunning—shocking in places, but brilliantly done. Trey (my love) and Mac were both strong presences, and my heart truly broke for Clare Bear… in more ways than one. Then there's my fierce little Apple! I adored her. I was genuinely terrified for the kids in the compound, which says a lot about how grounded and human these characters feel. Every one of them has dimension, purpose, and emotional weight. They offer rare moments of warmth, gallows humour, fleeting levity, the kind of connection that feels stolen from a collapsing world. But Bones remains the heart of it all: enigmatic, dangerous, and deeply human, carrying an emotional weight that might have benefitted from unravelling just a little earlier.
Because here's my main gripe: The book itself walks a fine line between fascinating and frustrating. It’s raw, emotional, and tense, but also occasionally repetitive. The pacing limps through the middle, looping through horror and survival, until it starts to lose its edge. You sense the author reaching for depth through trauma, found family, and a painfully slow-burn romance, but every so often it feels like the story gets lost in its own suffering. There's a lot of healing, sleeping, healing, sleeping, and healing ...again.
Another issue was the world-building. You’re thrown straight into the chaos with little exposition, which at first feels disorienting. This isn’t the kind of dystopia that pauses to explain itself; it simply exists—harsh and functional. I wonder whether this was done on purpose and if book 2 will build on it.
Still, the audiobook performance makes up for a lot. The narrator breathes life and urgency into the text, pulling out every layer of emotion the prose sometimes only hints at. What might have been a draining read becomes something magnetic—dangerous, raw, and strangely intimate.
This book and the series have a lot of potential. Book 1 ends on such a strong note (and a huge cliffy) that you can't help but want to jump into the next book.
*I received an ALC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Receiving the ALC had no influence on my review or rating.
December 9, 2025
Bones was a fast-paced, addictive story that pulled me in and never let go. Speer reveals the world as we get to know Bones, her past and the people she meets when she is captured. It’s a very character-driven story, and I fell hard for them.
Bones escaped her imprisonment by the Raiders only to be captured by a group who’ve heard of her abilities. This group takes her to a northwest mountain stronghold known as the Vault. Here, the Vault leader, Madame, offers her a place on Max’s team as a healer for the Vault. She will be fed, housed and expected to heal those in the keep, but she will also have to do the queen’s bidding as she tortures traitors for information.
I absolutely slipped into this story. Bones is broken, tenacious and has zero trust. Mac and his team, which includes Trey, try to make Bones comfortable and protect her. Despite her lack of trust, she quickly earns their respect and something more. This is a story of found family, a grumpy/sunshine, break your heart, intense and action-packed tale. It could be dark as this was a tale of survival, but Speer balanced it with light. The orphaned children and Bones’ tireless efforts to save everyone endeared me to her. She carries secrets, fears, guilt and so much more.
The romance tore me up, as Bones struggled to trust even as she opened up. This isn’t a happily ever-after romance, but it is special, and as a listener, I experienced all emotions from elation to devastation. The story centers on the Vault and, in particular, those on the team Bones is assigned to. We witness friendships, learn about Vault politics and find found family in the darkness.
This is a dark post-apocalyptic world with gore, violence, and survival. Threads of the past and growing outside danger amp up the suspense as we learn more about Bones, her brother and this world. It was intense, and the last third of the audiobook was unputdownable. I have so many questions, and the cliffhanger has me on edge. I cannot wait for the next one.
The audiobook is narrated by Megan Carver, who does an outstanding job of voicing Bones. The story has a large cast of characters, and yet she provided each with a distinct voice while capturing their personalities and emotions. I highly recommend listening to the Bones series. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Bones escaped her imprisonment by the Raiders only to be captured by a group who’ve heard of her abilities. This group takes her to a northwest mountain stronghold known as the Vault. Here, the Vault leader, Madame, offers her a place on Max’s team as a healer for the Vault. She will be fed, housed and expected to heal those in the keep, but she will also have to do the queen’s bidding as she tortures traitors for information.
I absolutely slipped into this story. Bones is broken, tenacious and has zero trust. Mac and his team, which includes Trey, try to make Bones comfortable and protect her. Despite her lack of trust, she quickly earns their respect and something more. This is a story of found family, a grumpy/sunshine, break your heart, intense and action-packed tale. It could be dark as this was a tale of survival, but Speer balanced it with light. The orphaned children and Bones’ tireless efforts to save everyone endeared me to her. She carries secrets, fears, guilt and so much more.
The romance tore me up, as Bones struggled to trust even as she opened up. This isn’t a happily ever-after romance, but it is special, and as a listener, I experienced all emotions from elation to devastation. The story centers on the Vault and, in particular, those on the team Bones is assigned to. We witness friendships, learn about Vault politics and find found family in the darkness.
This is a dark post-apocalyptic world with gore, violence, and survival. Threads of the past and growing outside danger amp up the suspense as we learn more about Bones, her brother and this world. It was intense, and the last third of the audiobook was unputdownable. I have so many questions, and the cliffhanger has me on edge. I cannot wait for the next one.
The audiobook is narrated by Megan Carver, who does an outstanding job of voicing Bones. The story has a large cast of characters, and yet she provided each with a distinct voice while capturing their personalities and emotions. I highly recommend listening to the Bones series. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
September 8, 2025
From start to finish this book had me in an emotional chokehold.
If you loved Boys of Tommen for the childhood trauma, protective male characters that will give you all the fuzzy feelings, and an incredible found family…but also like a Mad Max post apocalyptic type world, than the Bones series might be for you.
If you loved Boys of Tommen for the childhood trauma, protective male characters that will give you all the fuzzy feelings, and an incredible found family…but also like a Mad Max post apocalyptic type world, than the Bones series might be for you.
October 24, 2025
Original review (July 30, 2025): Six stars. This book deserves six stars. I wish I could give it more.
I feel like I’m going to throw up after finishing this book, but in a good way. I know that doesn’t make sense, but I really don’t know how to function after finishing this book. I have a copy of the second book on the way, but I’m incredibly tempted to buy a digital copy too so I can start reading it immediately.
If you’re looking for a book that is even slightly happy, you won’t find that here. This book is dark, emotionally devastating, heartbreaking, and leaves you feeling raw and empty in the best possible way.
I genuinely don’t know what else I can say to convince you to read this book without spoiling it. I want to tell you about the highs and lows, the moments where I gasped or cried, but I don’t want to take those moments from you, so please just go read this book.
If you need more convincing, just know I was addicted to it and couldn’t put it down. The only reason it took me two days instead of one to read it is because I physically couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore and had to put it down until the next day. And then I didn’t do a single thing until I finished it.
This is a dark dystopian book at its finest. There’s romance, there’s action, there’s a rage filled fmc, there’s heartbreak, there’s everything I didn’t know I needed. I had this book for almost a year, and I wish it didn’t take me so long to read it.
Not sure what to do now that I’ve finished it.
Also, just a note: I read this book on Apple Books because that’s how it was gifted to me, and my copy was listed as 522 pages. Not sure what happened to make mine 200 more pages, but just keep that in mind.
————
Edit: I received an audio alc of this book in October 2025, and it was probably the greatest and most painful audiobook I ever encountered.
Yesss!!!!! I love this book, so I knew the audiobook was going to be incredible, and it did not disappoint. I’m obsessed with this book!!! The voice of Bones was absolutely perfect! I wouldn’t ever pick someone else.
But oh my gosh does this book hurt like 100 times more listening to it than just reading it. I stupidly decided to listen to this while I was driving and had to stop to ball my eyes out when we got to a ~certain~ part of the book. The pain captured in this part of the book was really what cemented the audio for me.
Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for the gifted alc.
I feel like I’m going to throw up after finishing this book, but in a good way. I know that doesn’t make sense, but I really don’t know how to function after finishing this book. I have a copy of the second book on the way, but I’m incredibly tempted to buy a digital copy too so I can start reading it immediately.
If you’re looking for a book that is even slightly happy, you won’t find that here. This book is dark, emotionally devastating, heartbreaking, and leaves you feeling raw and empty in the best possible way.
I genuinely don’t know what else I can say to convince you to read this book without spoiling it. I want to tell you about the highs and lows, the moments where I gasped or cried, but I don’t want to take those moments from you, so please just go read this book.
If you need more convincing, just know I was addicted to it and couldn’t put it down. The only reason it took me two days instead of one to read it is because I physically couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore and had to put it down until the next day. And then I didn’t do a single thing until I finished it.
This is a dark dystopian book at its finest. There’s romance, there’s action, there’s a rage filled fmc, there’s heartbreak, there’s everything I didn’t know I needed. I had this book for almost a year, and I wish it didn’t take me so long to read it.
Not sure what to do now that I’ve finished it.
Also, just a note: I read this book on Apple Books because that’s how it was gifted to me, and my copy was listed as 522 pages. Not sure what happened to make mine 200 more pages, but just keep that in mind.
————
Edit: I received an audio alc of this book in October 2025, and it was probably the greatest and most painful audiobook I ever encountered.
Yesss!!!!! I love this book, so I knew the audiobook was going to be incredible, and it did not disappoint. I’m obsessed with this book!!! The voice of Bones was absolutely perfect! I wouldn’t ever pick someone else.
But oh my gosh does this book hurt like 100 times more listening to it than just reading it. I stupidly decided to listen to this while I was driving and had to stop to ball my eyes out when we got to a ~certain~ part of the book. The pain captured in this part of the book was really what cemented the audio for me.
Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for the gifted alc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 875 reviews