What do you think?
Rate this book
The BoneKeeper's Daughter
A is for Absence, Void open forever
B is for Bones, that keep us together
C is for Council, Protectors and Keeper
D is for Death, from Render or Reaper…
In the City of Bone, death is ever present. The Upper Kingdom is ruled by tradition, by the demands of the Gods for Offerings, by the call for flesh from the Bones. As the BoneKeeper, Wren has known her place and her role since birth.
For her, the living world is a bleak and colorless place; her only solace is in the memories of the souls she has Guided, where they tell her stories of a time when the sunlight was vibrant, when every step didn’t have to be measured, when water was pure.
But the Earth is hungry, and the Sky demanding. The Bones are growing restless, and the Council is a poisoned well. Wren’s world is changing, her path diverging in front of her. If she leaves souls unguided, they’ll be sent to Silence forever, lost to memory. But if she bends to the demands of the Council, what will be unleashed? And who, other than the Bones, can she trust?
The BoneKeeper's Daughter is a slow-build, slow-burn Why Choose Romantasy.
716 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2025
90 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
June 3, 2025
This book....I don't have words. But I'm a book reviewer and I also really want to talk about this book, so be prepared for a ton of words and exclamation marks! First though,THANK YOU to The Nerd Fam and Elise Fry for my ARC, you have blessed my eyes and mind and I'm so excited to leave this honest review!
I 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 the 👏🏻 Keeper👏🏻! She is an AMAZING FMC and narrator, she is complex and has amazing depth! Her story and journey is unique and beautiful and perfect, filled with raw emotions. It's just a gorgeous story, I could not put it down and it just kept 👏🏻 getting 👏🏻 better!!!
ELISE FRY'S WRITING IS FANTASTIC!!!! No notes. I loved her every word, she made me laugh and snort out loud, I cried real tears, sometimes it felt like my heart was breaking. Her writing both made the character's emotions visceral to me, and made me feel emotions for what was happening to/for/with the characters. THE BANTER!?!?! Perfection. The characters?!?!? Perfection. My Kindle highlights are numerous and some are LONG! I've never highlighted a full page before, but sometimes you need to highlight a full page of banter!
Want to know about the world building?!?!?! COMPLEX. TERRIFYING BUT GORGEOUS. A NEW HOME BUILT FROM PAPER AND INK. I want a NatGeo documentary about this world and then I need more documentaries about the cultures.
THE ROMANCE?!?!?! I can't talk about how great the romance aspect of this book is without spoiling so many things, so here are the bullets: SLOOOOOOOW burn, 0.2 on the spicy scale, YEARNING, why choose, men who would do ANYTHING for The Keeper, forbidden romance.
Please read this book!!!! I need more people to read this book so I can talk about it!!! This is the first ARC I couldn't spoil for my wife because I need her to read it once it is published. It is living in my head rent free, and has the dangerous potential to but me into a slump because it feels like no book will ever be as good again.
Is it long? Yes. Over 700 pages is a lot for a first book in a series. But it is soooo worth every word, and every word in this book is purposeful. There aren't bits that are just fluffy filler, you're getting 700 pages of plot and romance and world building, and after 700 pages I. want. more!!!
Look, I didn't write much about the plot or what actually happens in this review because I hate spoilers. And after experiencing it myself, if I were to go up to an in person bestie and try to convince them to read this book, here is what I'd say: "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK! It's a fantastic fantasy novel about a girl with the ability to encapsulate a soul into its bone, but it's a good thing because her whole culture is kind of built around people having this ability. Everything around her is super complicated and kind of dark in the beginning, but it gets better and even in the dark it is so beautiful. I won't tell you any more, read the description if you want, but I'm telling you this is a 6 STAR BOOK and if you don't like it we can't be book besties anymore. Yes, I feel that strongly about this book."
I 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 the 👏🏻 Keeper👏🏻! She is an AMAZING FMC and narrator, she is complex and has amazing depth! Her story and journey is unique and beautiful and perfect, filled with raw emotions. It's just a gorgeous story, I could not put it down and it just kept 👏🏻 getting 👏🏻 better!!!
ELISE FRY'S WRITING IS FANTASTIC!!!! No notes. I loved her every word, she made me laugh and snort out loud, I cried real tears, sometimes it felt like my heart was breaking. Her writing both made the character's emotions visceral to me, and made me feel emotions for what was happening to/for/with the characters. THE BANTER!?!?! Perfection. The characters?!?!? Perfection. My Kindle highlights are numerous and some are LONG! I've never highlighted a full page before, but sometimes you need to highlight a full page of banter!
Want to know about the world building?!?!?! COMPLEX. TERRIFYING BUT GORGEOUS. A NEW HOME BUILT FROM PAPER AND INK. I want a NatGeo documentary about this world and then I need more documentaries about the cultures.
THE ROMANCE?!?!?! I can't talk about how great the romance aspect of this book is without spoiling so many things, so here are the bullets: SLOOOOOOOW burn, 0.2 on the spicy scale, YEARNING, why choose, men who would do ANYTHING for The Keeper, forbidden romance.
Please read this book!!!! I need more people to read this book so I can talk about it!!! This is the first ARC I couldn't spoil for my wife because I need her to read it once it is published. It is living in my head rent free, and has the dangerous potential to but me into a slump because it feels like no book will ever be as good again.
Is it long? Yes. Over 700 pages is a lot for a first book in a series. But it is soooo worth every word, and every word in this book is purposeful. There aren't bits that are just fluffy filler, you're getting 700 pages of plot and romance and world building, and after 700 pages I. want. more!!!
Look, I didn't write much about the plot or what actually happens in this review because I hate spoilers. And after experiencing it myself, if I were to go up to an in person bestie and try to convince them to read this book, here is what I'd say: "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK! It's a fantastic fantasy novel about a girl with the ability to encapsulate a soul into its bone, but it's a good thing because her whole culture is kind of built around people having this ability. Everything around her is super complicated and kind of dark in the beginning, but it gets better and even in the dark it is so beautiful. I won't tell you any more, read the description if you want, but I'm telling you this is a 6 STAR BOOK and if you don't like it we can't be book besties anymore. Yes, I feel that strongly about this book."
May 29, 2025
3⭐️
First and foremost, thank you to the author and to Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC.
From the description of the story, and the reviews I saw of this book I was super eager and excited to pick this up. The story itself in regard to the plot, is very interesting. However, I felt the writing was incredibly thick and complicated. It’s a unique style of writing that I personally struggle to enjoy while reading. It makes it difficult to relax and read, you feel you have to focus on every single word in order to understand what’s going on.
I think that this read would be great for a very specific type of reader. I thought that was me as I love darker, dark academia, dark romance style reads. However this just wasn’t for me.
I DNF’d at 23%.
Giving 3 stars because although it’s not MY style of writing that I enjoy, it may be for others.
First and foremost, thank you to the author and to Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC.
From the description of the story, and the reviews I saw of this book I was super eager and excited to pick this up. The story itself in regard to the plot, is very interesting. However, I felt the writing was incredibly thick and complicated. It’s a unique style of writing that I personally struggle to enjoy while reading. It makes it difficult to relax and read, you feel you have to focus on every single word in order to understand what’s going on.
I think that this read would be great for a very specific type of reader. I thought that was me as I love darker, dark academia, dark romance style reads. However this just wasn’t for me.
I DNF’d at 23%.
Giving 3 stars because although it’s not MY style of writing that I enjoy, it may be for others.
May 28, 2025
This book had such a cool concept. I loved the idea of having someone be able to talk to bones and the bones still have the soul of the person in them. I felt like a lot happened in this book, but I'm not sure what the overall plot is. This definitely could've been split into two book which I think would've flown a bit better. I did love the characters and the bone magic. It was a fun read, but just long.
June 7, 2025
[ARC REVIEW]
YALL.
It’s been a good long time since I’ve found/read a book that had me counting down the minutes until I could get back to it. I know I say nearly every book I read is a banger, and I do mean it every time, this book is a banger. Like my entire being has been changed.
The Bonekeeper’s Daughter is truly a one-of-a-kind read. It’s a hefty dark gothic book at 700+ pages, slow pacing, multi POV, incredible world building, and heavy themes surrounding death, grief, political corruption, and other subjects (be sure to heed the TWs). This is a Why Choose, but honestly, it doesn’t really come into play until much later, and with the pacing, it’s glacial. And even then, we’re talking a few kisses, handholding, and YEARNING.
Do not read this book if you’re expecting folks to be doing the horizontal mambo a few chapters after meeting. Do read this book if you’re a yearner.
We mostly follow our dear Keeper Wren, as she navigates the world she lives in. Trying to find balance between her duty, breaking away from the chains some of the Council have placed on her and regaining her autonomy. We discover with Wren the many insidious plots of the Council and together find out who is seemingly on her side, and who see her as nothing more than a tool.
I’ve got to stop here or else I’ll end up spoiling something. But y’all. The last arc in this book, whew, let me tell you. You know when you’re so into a movie and you sit with the popcorn in your hand hovering before your mouth because you can’t look away? Yeah, that was me.
Thank you so so much to Elise Fry for the ARC! I am sat and ready for the rest of this series whenever it decides to appear.
——-
YALL. YALL.
YALL.
It’s been a good long time since I’ve found/read a book that had me counting down the minutes until I could get back to it. I know I say nearly every book I read is a banger, and I do mean it every time, this book is a banger. Like my entire being has been changed.
The Bonekeeper’s Daughter is truly a one-of-a-kind read. It’s a hefty dark gothic book at 700+ pages, slow pacing, multi POV, incredible world building, and heavy themes surrounding death, grief, political corruption, and other subjects (be sure to heed the TWs). This is a Why Choose, but honestly, it doesn’t really come into play until much later, and with the pacing, it’s glacial. And even then, we’re talking a few kisses, handholding, and YEARNING.
Do not read this book if you’re expecting folks to be doing the horizontal mambo a few chapters after meeting. Do read this book if you’re a yearner.
We mostly follow our dear Keeper Wren, as she navigates the world she lives in. Trying to find balance between her duty, breaking away from the chains some of the Council have placed on her and regaining her autonomy. We discover with Wren the many insidious plots of the Council and together find out who is seemingly on her side, and who see her as nothing more than a tool.
I’ve got to stop here or else I’ll end up spoiling something. But y’all. The last arc in this book, whew, let me tell you. You know when you’re so into a movie and you sit with the popcorn in your hand hovering before your mouth because you can’t look away? Yeah, that was me.
Thank you so so much to Elise Fry for the ARC! I am sat and ready for the rest of this series whenever it decides to appear.
——-
YALL. YALL.
May 31, 2025
Do you like gothic fantasy? Do you love unique worlds that seem like they will never leave your head? Do you want to become obsessed with an entirely new fictional world? If the answer is yes (and who are we kidding, of course the answer is yes!), then you will love The BoneKeeper's Daughter by Elise Fry!
The first thing that really stood out to me about this novel is how insanely well-crafted the world is. The characters interact with cultures completely unique and diverse from their own, yet the author somehow manages to capture each new culture while illustrating realistic confusion as the different worlds meet. Despite being an avid reader, I didn't feel like I had seen the worlds in this novel before, making it even more spectacular.
The pacing of this novel was also incredible! Despite the ARC copy being well over 900 pages, I flew through it because I simply could not put it down. When I tell you I stayed up until 2 AM reading, I mean it. The pages just flew by! I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I threw my e-reader at the wall, and then I cried some more.
Despite being an eventual why-choose (please, Elise, I beg of you), all the characters were fleshed out and compelling. And also the slowburn is killing me. Because it is very very slow. You can bet that I'm super excited for the moment when that tension pays off.
Read if you like...
~ Worlds that feels as if they've been untouched by time
~ Gothic fantasy meets horror
~ A compelling female heroine with so much character growth it'll leave you speechless
~ Complex and interesting magic systems
~ Unique moral dilemmas
~ Yearning. SO. MUCH. YEARNING.
~ Love interests that remind each other the joy found in living
~ Protection that comes with a price
~ SLOWburn (like all they do is kiss in 900 pages slowburn)
Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Elise Fry for an e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
The first thing that really stood out to me about this novel is how insanely well-crafted the world is. The characters interact with cultures completely unique and diverse from their own, yet the author somehow manages to capture each new culture while illustrating realistic confusion as the different worlds meet. Despite being an avid reader, I didn't feel like I had seen the worlds in this novel before, making it even more spectacular.
The pacing of this novel was also incredible! Despite the ARC copy being well over 900 pages, I flew through it because I simply could not put it down. When I tell you I stayed up until 2 AM reading, I mean it. The pages just flew by! I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I threw my e-reader at the wall, and then I cried some more.
Despite being an eventual why-choose (please, Elise, I beg of you), all the characters were fleshed out and compelling. And also the slowburn is killing me. Because it is very very slow. You can bet that I'm super excited for the moment when that tension pays off.
Read if you like...
~ Worlds that feels as if they've been untouched by time
~ Gothic fantasy meets horror
~ A compelling female heroine with so much character growth it'll leave you speechless
~ Complex and interesting magic systems
~ Unique moral dilemmas
~ Yearning. SO. MUCH. YEARNING.
~ Love interests that remind each other the joy found in living
~ Protection that comes with a price
~ SLOWburn (like all they do is kiss in 900 pages slowburn)
Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Elise Fry for an e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
June 3, 2025
First, a huge thank you to Nerd Fam and Elise Fry for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!
2.5-3
⭐⭐⭐
With that being said… this book is so hard to rate, so I’ll break down my thoughts:
What I liked:
The idea behind this story is incredibly unique—I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it, and that alone made me eager to pick it up. I really enjoyed Wren’s character and her growth throughout the book. Her story was one of the highlights for me. I also appreciated that we got multiple POVs after the 20% mark; it definitely helped with readability and pacing. And those final chapters? Absolutely amazing. They delivered everything I had been waiting for all 800 pages.
TROPES:
💀 Romantasy
💀 Folklore
💀 Gods and Goddesses
💀 Enemies to lovers
💀 Forced Proximity
💀 Myths and Legends
💀 Intricate World Building
💀 Why choose
💀 Slowburn, Slowbuild
💀 Cliffhanger
What didn’t work for me:
This book is long—800 pages—and it felt every bit of it. The first 20% (which is like 150+ pages) left me completely lost—without exaggeration, I had no idea what was happening. I was intrigued by the world, but I couldn’t understand it at all. I know it’s meant to be a “slow burn,” but this didn’t feel like intentional build-up—it just read like slooooow pacing, which isn’t the same thing. The writing was dense, overcomplicated, and honestly a bit overwritten at times, which made it hard to stay engaged. Just when I started to get a grip on the plot, things would change into another new setting. At a certain point, I didn’t know if there was a plot at all or multiple plots, like...?!
On top of that, the MMC's all kind of blended together for me. None of them really stood out, and their whole personality seemed to be just… being in love with the FMC?! For something labeled as a dark “why choose” romance, I was really missing the romance—there was no tension, no banter, no emotional payoff. It felt like a “why choose” without any of the chemistry that usually makes that trope work.
This story has so much potential—the concept is so cool. I just think it needed another round of edits (or maybe to be two books?). I’ll definitely keep an eye on the author though, the creativity is there!
There are definitely a lot of content warnings with this one, so I’d recommend checking those beforehand—but personally, none of them really bothered me while reading.
2.5-3
⭐⭐⭐
With that being said… this book is so hard to rate, so I’ll break down my thoughts:
What I liked:
The idea behind this story is incredibly unique—I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it, and that alone made me eager to pick it up. I really enjoyed Wren’s character and her growth throughout the book. Her story was one of the highlights for me. I also appreciated that we got multiple POVs after the 20% mark; it definitely helped with readability and pacing. And those final chapters? Absolutely amazing. They delivered everything I had been waiting for all 800 pages.
TROPES:
💀 Romantasy
💀 Folklore
💀 Gods and Goddesses
💀 Enemies to lovers
💀 Forced Proximity
💀 Myths and Legends
💀 Intricate World Building
💀 Why choose
💀 Slowburn, Slowbuild
💀 Cliffhanger
What didn’t work for me:
This book is long—800 pages—and it felt every bit of it. The first 20% (which is like 150+ pages) left me completely lost—without exaggeration, I had no idea what was happening. I was intrigued by the world, but I couldn’t understand it at all. I know it’s meant to be a “slow burn,” but this didn’t feel like intentional build-up—it just read like slooooow pacing, which isn’t the same thing. The writing was dense, overcomplicated, and honestly a bit overwritten at times, which made it hard to stay engaged. Just when I started to get a grip on the plot, things would change into another new setting. At a certain point, I didn’t know if there was a plot at all or multiple plots, like...?!
On top of that, the MMC's all kind of blended together for me. None of them really stood out, and their whole personality seemed to be just… being in love with the FMC?! For something labeled as a dark “why choose” romance, I was really missing the romance—there was no tension, no banter, no emotional payoff. It felt like a “why choose” without any of the chemistry that usually makes that trope work.
This story has so much potential—the concept is so cool. I just think it needed another round of edits (or maybe to be two books?). I’ll definitely keep an eye on the author though, the creativity is there!
There are definitely a lot of content warnings with this one, so I’d recommend checking those beforehand—but personally, none of them really bothered me while reading.
June 9, 2025
I think the premise of this book was really interesting. The world building had me very intrigued. However, I had such a hard time getting into this book. While parts were interesting some of the writing was over complicated and some things just didn't need to be in there. Also, the love interests didn't really capture me. I didn't see the allure to it. I do think some will enjoy this it just wasn't for me.
Thank you @thenerdfam for the gifted ebook.
Thank you @thenerdfam for the gifted ebook.
June 8, 2025
I’m still trying to find the words for this book. I finished it last night, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since! I’ll legit be thinking about this story for days, weeks, months to come.
This is Book 1 in the Blade and Bone trilogy, and I’m already dying to get my hands on Book 2. This story concept was so unique, and it was a delightfully dark romantasy with the slowest of slow burns. Book 1 is definitely setting us up for this to be an epic why choose series, but be prepared for there to be mostly only yearning throughout The Bonekeeper’s Daughter. I don’t know about you, but I love some good yearning. 🖤
It’s a rather large book at 700+ pages, and the pacing is more on the slow side. I’m not complaining at all though because we got incredible world building throughout, multiple POVs, and all the plot. None of these 700+ pages felt like fluff or filler, so don’t let the size of this one scare you off from starting what will no doubt be an amazing series.
I loved our dear Keeper, Wren. She grew so much as a character throughout the book, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her throughout the rest of the series. I also can’t wait to see how her different relationships play out as well! Especially how her relationship will likely change with a certain Protector. 👀
Be sure to read the trigger warnings on this one before diving in because there are definitely some topics and themes that will be difficult for some readers.
Thank you so much to Elise Fry for the opportunity to read this as an ARC! I need everyone else to read this book ASAP, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know for sure. 🖤
This is Book 1 in the Blade and Bone trilogy, and I’m already dying to get my hands on Book 2. This story concept was so unique, and it was a delightfully dark romantasy with the slowest of slow burns. Book 1 is definitely setting us up for this to be an epic why choose series, but be prepared for there to be mostly only yearning throughout The Bonekeeper’s Daughter. I don’t know about you, but I love some good yearning. 🖤
It’s a rather large book at 700+ pages, and the pacing is more on the slow side. I’m not complaining at all though because we got incredible world building throughout, multiple POVs, and all the plot. None of these 700+ pages felt like fluff or filler, so don’t let the size of this one scare you off from starting what will no doubt be an amazing series.
I loved our dear Keeper, Wren. She grew so much as a character throughout the book, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her throughout the rest of the series. I also can’t wait to see how her different relationships play out as well! Especially how her relationship will likely change with a certain Protector. 👀
Be sure to read the trigger warnings on this one before diving in because there are definitely some topics and themes that will be difficult for some readers.
Thank you so much to Elise Fry for the opportunity to read this as an ARC! I need everyone else to read this book ASAP, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know for sure. 🖤
June 5, 2025
Thank you NerdFarm and Elyse Fry for the opportunity to ARC read this book!!!!
Oh.My.God. I need some time to just sit and contemplate how absofreakinglutely incredible this book was. If I could give it 10 stars, I would. Probably my favorite read of the year thus far. And that’s up against some stiff competition.
At first the length intimidated me. But I’ll be honest, I used to read thicker books with no problem and I feel fantasy/romantasy readers have gotten lazy of late (me included!) and want a book that’s 400 pages or less and if it’s longer, they get bored. Especially with writing as rich as the author’s. I absolutely love how Elyse Fry built the world of the BoneKeeper. I have an incredibly hard time visualizing scenes in my head but the way she uses words and builds the picture of the world actually made it so easy for me to visualize.
This beautiful literary wonder of dark deeds and lore so rich and characters with such depth deserved every single page.
This book did not let up, at all and I could not stop reading in every spare moment.
The Keeper is my dream FMC!!!!! I cannot say enough amazing things about how Wren’s character was written and formed. She is not infallible, she makes mistakes, but she learns from them.
The romance!!!!! The YEARNING is everything. And the length of the book gave the author time to really flesh out the relationships and how they develop. This is a slowwww burn done in the best way.
This hasn’t even released yet but I seriously need more.
Oh.My.God. I need some time to just sit and contemplate how absofreakinglutely incredible this book was. If I could give it 10 stars, I would. Probably my favorite read of the year thus far. And that’s up against some stiff competition.
At first the length intimidated me. But I’ll be honest, I used to read thicker books with no problem and I feel fantasy/romantasy readers have gotten lazy of late (me included!) and want a book that’s 400 pages or less and if it’s longer, they get bored. Especially with writing as rich as the author’s. I absolutely love how Elyse Fry built the world of the BoneKeeper. I have an incredibly hard time visualizing scenes in my head but the way she uses words and builds the picture of the world actually made it so easy for me to visualize.
This beautiful literary wonder of dark deeds and lore so rich and characters with such depth deserved every single page.
This book did not let up, at all and I could not stop reading in every spare moment.
The Keeper is my dream FMC!!!!! I cannot say enough amazing things about how Wren’s character was written and formed. She is not infallible, she makes mistakes, but she learns from them.
The romance!!!!! The YEARNING is everything. And the length of the book gave the author time to really flesh out the relationships and how they develop. This is a slowwww burn done in the best way.
This hasn’t even released yet but I seriously need more.
May 31, 2025
Thank you Elise Fry and Book Funnel for the gifted eARC. This book is 5 stars for me, no notes!
Seriously, I loved the world building and the characters. The characters are easy to follow, this was not a book where I struggled to remember who someone was, they all have distinct names and personalities. Absolutely phenomenal.
The love interests, I had a favorite but then that twist and now I don’t know!
Bone magic! Guys, it’s awesome! This book is so unique I could talk about it all day!
That ending!! I was shocked and now I cannot wait for the next book but have so many questions and OMG the possibilities!!
Seriously, I loved the world building and the characters. The characters are easy to follow, this was not a book where I struggled to remember who someone was, they all have distinct names and personalities. Absolutely phenomenal.
The love interests, I had a favorite but then that twist and now I don’t know!
Bone magic! Guys, it’s awesome! This book is so unique I could talk about it all day!
That ending!! I was shocked and now I cannot wait for the next book but have so many questions and OMG the possibilities!!
June 3, 2025
Thank you Nerd Fam and Elise Fry for the opportunity to read this amazing gothic fantasy and review it. I’ve never really dove into the gothic fantasy world and I’m so glad that this was my first gothic fantasy romance book.
Eli’s Fry is amazing in world building and still holding your interest as we all know that you can get lost in the world building and quickly put a book down because it becomes too much but not this one. I couldn’t stop! Had this book not been on the chunkier side I would’ve prolly read it in one sitting. Thankfully I had an e-arc although now after reading I’d love a physical copy to add to my Roman Empire books because I absolutely loved this book and it will continue to be a book that I recommend when people ask for fantasy romance. This book can live rent free in your head too if you go over to KU and read it as well.
I loved the way Elise brings the multiple cultures between the characters together in this fictional world. The cultures are unique but so different from each other for the characters. I loved every bit of it and it kept me entertained all almost 800 pages of it! It seems like a lot but when you’re immersed into this world and learning about all of these characters and waiting for that burn to come about (for forever) it is still entertaining. Which is a lot for the first fantasy book because they usually lose you in world building.
Although this book is an INSANELY slow burn it just makes me excited for the next book!
** please check your Trigger Warnings because your Mental Health matters!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
☠️Gothic Fantasy/Horror
☠️Yearning
☠️ Slowburn (So Slow)
☠️ Close Proximity
☠️ Enemies to Lovers
Eli’s Fry is amazing in world building and still holding your interest as we all know that you can get lost in the world building and quickly put a book down because it becomes too much but not this one. I couldn’t stop! Had this book not been on the chunkier side I would’ve prolly read it in one sitting. Thankfully I had an e-arc although now after reading I’d love a physical copy to add to my Roman Empire books because I absolutely loved this book and it will continue to be a book that I recommend when people ask for fantasy romance. This book can live rent free in your head too if you go over to KU and read it as well.
I loved the way Elise brings the multiple cultures between the characters together in this fictional world. The cultures are unique but so different from each other for the characters. I loved every bit of it and it kept me entertained all almost 800 pages of it! It seems like a lot but when you’re immersed into this world and learning about all of these characters and waiting for that burn to come about (for forever) it is still entertaining. Which is a lot for the first fantasy book because they usually lose you in world building.
Although this book is an INSANELY slow burn it just makes me excited for the next book!
** please check your Trigger Warnings because your Mental Health matters!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
☠️Gothic Fantasy/Horror
☠️Yearning
☠️ Slowburn (So Slow)
☠️ Close Proximity
☠️ Enemies to Lovers
June 7, 2025
First of all, thank you to Elise Fry, publishers, and Nerdfam for the ARC of this absolute masterpiece. The BoneKeeper’s Daughter is now available!
🎉 HAPPY PUB DAY!!! 🎉
I don’t even know where to start. This book is almost 800 pages long, and there wasn’t a single page where I wasn’t completely enthralled. It may be one of the most unique books I’ve ever read.
The BoneKeeper’s Daughter is an extremely slow-burn, complex fantasy with occasional gothic elements. This story has:
- Human sacrifices to the gods
- A young woman who speaks to bones
- Multiple men longing after our FMC
- A village surrounded by a wall of bones
- Acid rain and famine
- Death, betrayal, and grief
- Unique magic systems
- Did I mention bones?
- And ✨friendship✨
The world-building is incredibly well-crafted and immersive. The setting is eerie and dark, taking place in a famine stricken village that seems to have its own set of otherworldly laws, rituals, and deities. (And weather system? 👀)
The characters are phenomenal. Elise did an amazing job of making the lovable characters lovable, and the assholes punchable. There’s character growth, hidden secrets, morally gray decisions, and yearning. While this is labeled as a why-choose, keep in mind there isn’t much courting or spice aside from one kiss. I’m assuming that will pick up in future books, but it absolutely didn’t take away from the story and only makes the tension that much better.
I don’t know what else to say without spoiling the book, but I’m literally begging you to read this immediately. Be warned, there’s a massive cliffhanger but wow, is it a delicious one.
5 stars. 10/10. Perfect.
🎉 HAPPY PUB DAY!!! 🎉
I don’t even know where to start. This book is almost 800 pages long, and there wasn’t a single page where I wasn’t completely enthralled. It may be one of the most unique books I’ve ever read.
The BoneKeeper’s Daughter is an extremely slow-burn, complex fantasy with occasional gothic elements. This story has:
- Human sacrifices to the gods
- A young woman who speaks to bones
- Multiple men longing after our FMC
- A village surrounded by a wall of bones
- Acid rain and famine
- Death, betrayal, and grief
- Unique magic systems
- Did I mention bones?
- And ✨friendship✨
The world-building is incredibly well-crafted and immersive. The setting is eerie and dark, taking place in a famine stricken village that seems to have its own set of otherworldly laws, rituals, and deities. (And weather system? 👀)
The characters are phenomenal. Elise did an amazing job of making the lovable characters lovable, and the assholes punchable. There’s character growth, hidden secrets, morally gray decisions, and yearning. While this is labeled as a why-choose, keep in mind there isn’t much courting or spice aside from one kiss. I’m assuming that will pick up in future books, but it absolutely didn’t take away from the story and only makes the tension that much better.
I don’t know what else to say without spoiling the book, but I’m literally begging you to read this immediately. Be warned, there’s a massive cliffhanger but wow, is it a delicious one.
5 stars. 10/10. Perfect.
May 29, 2025
6*
No words suffice to explain how much I adored this book. It may be almost 800 pages long, but it still wasn’t enough. And while I would never bother an author to request faster writing, I would love to have the ability to clone this author so more books would be written by her hand. I’m not sure the world is ready for 20 Elise’s, but I definitely am.
The Bonekeeper’s Daughter is what you want to read when you feel like you’ve read everything in the “why choose” book world, because you won’t have read something like this. It’s the thing you need when you want fascinating worldbuilding, twists and turns you won’t see coming, characters entering and leaving the story in the most unexpected ways, and an fmc who will burrow herself deep into your bones. It is rare for me to shed a tear while reading, but this book had me crying multiple times. And it weren’t even the heartwrenching scenes that touched me the most. No, it were the little moments of sadness and loneliness, the tiny specs of kindness meaning the world to Wren that really let the tears flow. And every time I did I had to think about their culture, where tears are seen as a waste of water; and it never felt like a waste to me…
This is not an easy book to read; it’s a book with so many layers I feel like I should read it multiple times to explore them all. I’m really happy I had to foresight to wait to start it until I knew I had the time to really emerge myself into the story. And it was a true joy to do so… I will haunt this author’s socials to find out more about the second book as soon as possible.
No words suffice to explain how much I adored this book. It may be almost 800 pages long, but it still wasn’t enough. And while I would never bother an author to request faster writing, I would love to have the ability to clone this author so more books would be written by her hand. I’m not sure the world is ready for 20 Elise’s, but I definitely am.
The Bonekeeper’s Daughter is what you want to read when you feel like you’ve read everything in the “why choose” book world, because you won’t have read something like this. It’s the thing you need when you want fascinating worldbuilding, twists and turns you won’t see coming, characters entering and leaving the story in the most unexpected ways, and an fmc who will burrow herself deep into your bones. It is rare for me to shed a tear while reading, but this book had me crying multiple times. And it weren’t even the heartwrenching scenes that touched me the most. No, it were the little moments of sadness and loneliness, the tiny specs of kindness meaning the world to Wren that really let the tears flow. And every time I did I had to think about their culture, where tears are seen as a waste of water; and it never felt like a waste to me…
This is not an easy book to read; it’s a book with so many layers I feel like I should read it multiple times to explore them all. I’m really happy I had to foresight to wait to start it until I knew I had the time to really emerge myself into the story. And it was a true joy to do so… I will haunt this author’s socials to find out more about the second book as soon as possible.
June 11, 2025
I've finished my ARC copy of the Bonekeepers Daughter written by Elise Fry. This is the first fantasy book in the Blade and Bone trilogy.
"It is a game of death--two sides of a vicious scale kept in balance by blood."
I enjoyed reading this story. The background story is great and the way the story builds will keep you on edge. There are parts that could have been shorter and where the descriptions are longer than necessary, but it doens't maken it less of an entertaining story.
"For the good of the many, one must fall."
This story is about Wren, she is a Bonekeeper and is opressed by the council in her hometown. The town is completely separated from the rest of the world and Wren's life is only becoming more of an agony. Until something surprising happens.. how will het story continue.
"Our council is not our people, our history not our whole."
This story is about a form of religion and cultural customs that are determined by a god. And given form through hardship. The story is about fear, anger, grief, friendship, resistance, love, offering and so much more. Its woven through the story to give it more depth. The characters are described vividly and it feels like you know them and their character.
"The luxury of a golden cage is no luxury at all. A prison is still a prison, no matter how beautiful decorated."
The end of the story is definitely unexpected and it makes me look forward to the second book so much. I give the story four stars.
"It is a game of death--two sides of a vicious scale kept in balance by blood."
I enjoyed reading this story. The background story is great and the way the story builds will keep you on edge. There are parts that could have been shorter and where the descriptions are longer than necessary, but it doens't maken it less of an entertaining story.
"For the good of the many, one must fall."
This story is about Wren, she is a Bonekeeper and is opressed by the council in her hometown. The town is completely separated from the rest of the world and Wren's life is only becoming more of an agony. Until something surprising happens.. how will het story continue.
"Our council is not our people, our history not our whole."
This story is about a form of religion and cultural customs that are determined by a god. And given form through hardship. The story is about fear, anger, grief, friendship, resistance, love, offering and so much more. Its woven through the story to give it more depth. The characters are described vividly and it feels like you know them and their character.
"The luxury of a golden cage is no luxury at all. A prison is still a prison, no matter how beautiful decorated."
The end of the story is definitely unexpected and it makes me look forward to the second book so much. I give the story four stars.
September 15, 2025
I thoroughly loved this book. The world is eerie, gritty, and dark. Hat’s off to the author for the top shelf world building. I quickly became very attached to Wren and her story. Wren lives a life where she is objectified as a vessel for the gods and lives unseen as a woman. Thus she is used and abused in countless ways. In this atmospheric world of dark, folklore, family secrets, and dark ongoings shape her destiny.
The ground work has been laid for a why choose plot in later books. The multiple MMC’s shine in this book and their characters come alive.
Wren wears an armor of bones who house the spirits of people past. I found myself invested in the story of the bones as individual characters.
This book is dark and please check your trigger warnings before you pick it up. It is also everything that other romantasies are not and that is a refreshing change.
The only thing holding this book back from a five-star read for me is the prose of the book is extravagant at times and the flowery nature overshadows the story. The building blocks that set up the story for later installments did create a lack of cohesion in places in the book.
I did love this book. I do highly recommend it, and I will be picking up the others in the series!
The ground work has been laid for a why choose plot in later books. The multiple MMC’s shine in this book and their characters come alive.
Wren wears an armor of bones who house the spirits of people past. I found myself invested in the story of the bones as individual characters.
This book is dark and please check your trigger warnings before you pick it up. It is also everything that other romantasies are not and that is a refreshing change.
The only thing holding this book back from a five-star read for me is the prose of the book is extravagant at times and the flowery nature overshadows the story. The building blocks that set up the story for later installments did create a lack of cohesion in places in the book.
I did love this book. I do highly recommend it, and I will be picking up the others in the series!
June 7, 2025
Thank you to The Nerd Fam and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book.
Five Stars Ya'll! Five Stars! Go download this book immediately. It released today and is on KU! This is the best romantasy book I have read in a long time!
✅️Slow Burn
✅️Why Choose
✅️Enemies to Lovers
✅️Forced Proximity
This is how you do a slow burn! The Yearning, oh the yearning and the tension! Immaculate!
This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. It is so unique and original with top-notch world building. The author's lyrical prose will have you immersed into this dark, gritty, and ritualistic world unlike any other. You will cry, you will be enraged, you will laugh, and you will love these characters. I can not emphasize enough how great this writing really is; the purple prose, the continuous world building from one society to another, the action-filled plot, and the men! These men are the definition of Will crawl for you!
Please make sure to check tour trigger warnings before starting. This is a very dark world full of ritualistic sacrifice and death.
Five Stars Ya'll! Five Stars! Go download this book immediately. It released today and is on KU! This is the best romantasy book I have read in a long time!
✅️Slow Burn
✅️Why Choose
✅️Enemies to Lovers
✅️Forced Proximity
This is how you do a slow burn! The Yearning, oh the yearning and the tension! Immaculate!
This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. It is so unique and original with top-notch world building. The author's lyrical prose will have you immersed into this dark, gritty, and ritualistic world unlike any other. You will cry, you will be enraged, you will laugh, and you will love these characters. I can not emphasize enough how great this writing really is; the purple prose, the continuous world building from one society to another, the action-filled plot, and the men! These men are the definition of Will crawl for you!
Please make sure to check tour trigger warnings before starting. This is a very dark world full of ritualistic sacrifice and death.
June 11, 2025
In the City of Bone, death is ever present. The Upper Kingdom is ruled by tradition, by the demands of the Gods for Offerings, by the call for flesh from the Bones. As the BoneKeeper, Wren has known her place and her role since birth….
Oh this book was good! The world building and the way folklore and the mythology was woven into the story was so good. It’s unique and interesting and complex and unlike anything I have ever read before!!
I really loved Wren as our FMC. She is smart and strong and has some great character growth.
Yes this is a slow burn…but the journey is so worth it! I really liked the banter and the connections between the characters. No spoilers, but the author drops these little crumbs and leads us to…well I can’t tell you!
✨What To Expect:
⚔️Fantasy Romance
🥀Dark Romantasy
♥️Why Choose
❤️🔥Enemies To Lovers
🖤Forced Proximity
💋Strong FMC
🌿Folklore
🏛️Gods and Goddesses
💀Myths and Legends
🗡️Intricate World Building
🔥Slow Burn
🧗♀️Mind that Cliffhanger
Oh this book was good! The world building and the way folklore and the mythology was woven into the story was so good. It’s unique and interesting and complex and unlike anything I have ever read before!!
I really loved Wren as our FMC. She is smart and strong and has some great character growth.
Yes this is a slow burn…but the journey is so worth it! I really liked the banter and the connections between the characters. No spoilers, but the author drops these little crumbs and leads us to…well I can’t tell you!
✨What To Expect:
⚔️Fantasy Romance
🥀Dark Romantasy
♥️Why Choose
❤️🔥Enemies To Lovers
🖤Forced Proximity
💋Strong FMC
🌿Folklore
🏛️Gods and Goddesses
💀Myths and Legends
🗡️Intricate World Building
🔥Slow Burn
🧗♀️Mind that Cliffhanger
June 6, 2025
This book. THIS FREAKING BOOK. It was actually insane?? And I'm so obsessed??
First the freaking world itself is DARK. Like dark dark. It's gritty and depressing any everything sucks for pretty much everyone but there's also so much background politics going on and friends who really aren't friends 👀. Amazing.
The plot? 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻. This book is thicc but I was so engaged literally the entire time. I wanted to basically do nothing but read it. Even with the length it never felt drug out there was always something happening making you say what the heck.
The men I have a love hate relationship with because like men are dumb and do dumb things 😅. Wren is incredible though. She can freaking talk to bones. I loved watching her really decide that enough is enough and the people were going to learn that she isn't a doormat anymore because I think they forgot that she is terrifying and should be respected.
That cliffhanger is CRIMINAL AND I AM DISTRAUGHT.
thank you to the author for the gifted arc
First the freaking world itself is DARK. Like dark dark. It's gritty and depressing any everything sucks for pretty much everyone but there's also so much background politics going on and friends who really aren't friends 👀. Amazing.
The plot? 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻. This book is thicc but I was so engaged literally the entire time. I wanted to basically do nothing but read it. Even with the length it never felt drug out there was always something happening making you say what the heck.
The men I have a love hate relationship with because like men are dumb and do dumb things 😅. Wren is incredible though. She can freaking talk to bones. I loved watching her really decide that enough is enough and the people were going to learn that she isn't a doormat anymore because I think they forgot that she is terrifying and should be respected.
That cliffhanger is CRIMINAL AND I AM DISTRAUGHT.
thank you to the author for the gifted arc
Read
May 23, 2025The Bonekeeper’s Daughter follows Wren, the only Bonekeeper in her village. She can see memories through the bones of the dead. She is an outcast in the village, but as tensions ramp up before the upcoming storm season, she must work closer with the council to prepare. The premise of this book really intrigued me, but I felt like the pacing throughout was very slow and I struggled to sustain interest.
October 15, 2025
She’s a chunker that packs a punch. Really impressed by the character progressions and believability that they possessed. At times the pacing felt a little clunky. But it’s a plot that keeps pulling you back in to see what happens next.
Want to read
June 1, 2025** Big thank you to the author for the ARC!
July 5, 2025
This is 700 pages of beautifully written, intricately detailed, glacially-slow-burn, epic, fantasy romance. I really love the FMC, and was wholly immersed in the world building. It's not an easy read, but it's eminently worthy of the time.
June 7, 2025
*ARC review*
The BoneKeeper’s Daughter is a dark, brutal and atmospheric story with truly excellent worldbuilding and a fascinating concept. The protagonist, Wren, is our Keeper who guides the souls of those who have passed on to rest inside their bones, where she is able to communicate with them. I loved this idea of a bone whisperer and it is implemented so well. Especially with Lorcan, her deceased Protector, who is still able to offer advice and guidance, yet only she can hear him. The extent of her abilities are revealed gradually, to great effect, often surprising even those closest to her.
Here is the truth of a final breath. When you die, your soul sings a requiem, so sad and so beautiful it drowns out all other sound, and makes you weep for what has been lost. The soul hovers for the length of its song, above the body, wrapped in music and memory, waiting to be held and Guided home to bone.
Wren had an awful upbringing and I was heartbroken for this poor woman and the life she’s been forced to lead from such a young age. Haunted by her father’s sacrifice and the loss of everyone she has been openly affectionate towards, at the beginning of the book she is very withdrawn, eschewing contact with the other villagers. Slowly, she begins to open up to a select few and take a stand against the men who have been slowly contaminating the village and its traditions for their own gain.
This is a very long book so it may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it never overstayed its welcome with me. I would have happily wandered around the village with Wren for a lot longer. I also appreciated that we got to see the points of view of other characters, like Rannoch, which reveal his true intentions to the reader while Wren only witnesses the image he must project in order to protect those around him. I longed to keep reading to experience this richly imagined world Fry has created. And as the cliffhanger hit me, if book two had been available, I would have immediately reached for it to find out what happens next.
The BoneKeeper’s Daughter is a dark, brutal and atmospheric story with truly excellent worldbuilding and a fascinating concept. The protagonist, Wren, is our Keeper who guides the souls of those who have passed on to rest inside their bones, where she is able to communicate with them. I loved this idea of a bone whisperer and it is implemented so well. Especially with Lorcan, her deceased Protector, who is still able to offer advice and guidance, yet only she can hear him. The extent of her abilities are revealed gradually, to great effect, often surprising even those closest to her.
Here is the truth of a final breath. When you die, your soul sings a requiem, so sad and so beautiful it drowns out all other sound, and makes you weep for what has been lost. The soul hovers for the length of its song, above the body, wrapped in music and memory, waiting to be held and Guided home to bone.
Wren had an awful upbringing and I was heartbroken for this poor woman and the life she’s been forced to lead from such a young age. Haunted by her father’s sacrifice and the loss of everyone she has been openly affectionate towards, at the beginning of the book she is very withdrawn, eschewing contact with the other villagers. Slowly, she begins to open up to a select few and take a stand against the men who have been slowly contaminating the village and its traditions for their own gain.
This is a very long book so it may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it never overstayed its welcome with me. I would have happily wandered around the village with Wren for a lot longer. I also appreciated that we got to see the points of view of other characters, like Rannoch, which reveal his true intentions to the reader while Wren only witnesses the image he must project in order to protect those around him. I longed to keep reading to experience this richly imagined world Fry has created. And as the cliffhanger hit me, if book two had been available, I would have immediately reached for it to find out what happens next.
June 22, 2025
Where do I even begin? I finished this book a few days ago and I thought that would be enough time to put my thoughts together coherently, but nothing I say will ever do justice to this novel. This is one of those books that will sit in my head and my heart for a long, long time. I’m going to try to keep this spoiler-free, but as there is no fluff or filler to be found in the author’s writing, mine might be vague.
The fmc, Wren, lives in a village made of bone. Not just any bone, but human bone from her village’s people. And this living bone has the ability to speak to her. She is the Bonekeeper. Her purpose is to guide the souls of the bones into their living bones so they might live forever through their words and memories. She was called by the gods to be the Keeper and her role is revered and invaluable to her city. But the Council, who rules the city, has become, more and more powerful and demanding since she became Bonekeeper as a child. Things are changing in her village and her place as an instrument of the gods is being threatened. Wren is caught between the demands of her position, the traditions of her community, and her dawning realization that she is a person underneath all the bones.
The Bonekeeper’s Daughter is an immense, throughly immersive, heartfelt epic novel. My little blurb only covers the first maybe 25% of this beautiful book. Wren discovers both secrets of her community and what’s hiding inside her. Along this path, she meets men who will destroy her and men that will burn the world for her, and it’s hard to tell which are which sometimes.
This is first an epic fantasy. There is some romance that is slooooow burn and why-choose. It is a long book, but there is literally no filler content. Every page is important to the story, every character interaction leads to another, and the writing is incredibly beautiful. At around 80% read on my kindle, I had to hide the progress icon because I didn’t want to see how close I was to the end. And the ending got me! I turned the last page not realizing it was over and just stared. I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger, but it definitely will change everything we know about their world so far.
Check the trigger warnings. There is a lot of death in this book. It is also first person, multiple pov.
If I had one tiny criticism, it would be the cover. This criticism has ZERO to do with the writing or the story; it is perfection. But I feel like the cover did not accurately portray the story. Honestly, I had this arc for a couple weeks before I picked it up and my hesitance was because based on the cover. I was expecting something really dark and violent based on that. But I found the actual story to be hauntingly beautiful. I couldn’t stop thinking about it between reading sessions. And I finally picked it up because of a fantastic review video by another reader and I’m soooo glad I did. In my vision, the cover would be of Wren as Bonekeeper, a la Children of Blood and Bone.
This is going to rank as one of my favorite books of 2025. It’s more than 5 stars. I will recommend this book to everyone, but especially readers who like the intricate, slow world-building and fmc growth of When the Moon Hatched and The Plated Prisoner series.
Thank you thank you thank you to the author and to The Nerd Fam for allowing me to read this incredible novel early. I absolutely cannot wait for book two!
The fmc, Wren, lives in a village made of bone. Not just any bone, but human bone from her village’s people. And this living bone has the ability to speak to her. She is the Bonekeeper. Her purpose is to guide the souls of the bones into their living bones so they might live forever through their words and memories. She was called by the gods to be the Keeper and her role is revered and invaluable to her city. But the Council, who rules the city, has become, more and more powerful and demanding since she became Bonekeeper as a child. Things are changing in her village and her place as an instrument of the gods is being threatened. Wren is caught between the demands of her position, the traditions of her community, and her dawning realization that she is a person underneath all the bones.
The Bonekeeper’s Daughter is an immense, throughly immersive, heartfelt epic novel. My little blurb only covers the first maybe 25% of this beautiful book. Wren discovers both secrets of her community and what’s hiding inside her. Along this path, she meets men who will destroy her and men that will burn the world for her, and it’s hard to tell which are which sometimes.
This is first an epic fantasy. There is some romance that is slooooow burn and why-choose. It is a long book, but there is literally no filler content. Every page is important to the story, every character interaction leads to another, and the writing is incredibly beautiful. At around 80% read on my kindle, I had to hide the progress icon because I didn’t want to see how close I was to the end. And the ending got me! I turned the last page not realizing it was over and just stared. I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger, but it definitely will change everything we know about their world so far.
Check the trigger warnings. There is a lot of death in this book. It is also first person, multiple pov.
If I had one tiny criticism, it would be the cover. This criticism has ZERO to do with the writing or the story; it is perfection. But I feel like the cover did not accurately portray the story. Honestly, I had this arc for a couple weeks before I picked it up and my hesitance was because based on the cover. I was expecting something really dark and violent based on that. But I found the actual story to be hauntingly beautiful. I couldn’t stop thinking about it between reading sessions. And I finally picked it up because of a fantastic review video by another reader and I’m soooo glad I did. In my vision, the cover would be of Wren as Bonekeeper, a la Children of Blood and Bone.
This is going to rank as one of my favorite books of 2025. It’s more than 5 stars. I will recommend this book to everyone, but especially readers who like the intricate, slow world-building and fmc growth of When the Moon Hatched and The Plated Prisoner series.
Thank you thank you thank you to the author and to The Nerd Fam for allowing me to read this incredible novel early. I absolutely cannot wait for book two!
June 6, 2025
5⭐ 0-0.5🌶️ 5❤️
Thank you so much to Elise Fry for sending me this e-ARC. Here is my honest review.
I loved this book. I know it is long, she is a chunky book, but in my opinion it is so worth it.
✨Review summery✨
-Heavy themes check triggers.
-INCREDIBLE writing.
-Top tier slow burn why choose romance.
-Highly recommend.
This book starts in Wren's, the FMC's, village. She is what her people call a BoneKeeper. She has the ability to take the souls of those who died and keep them in their bones and then they live on it what is called their Bone Life. From the bones the souls can still talk to their families through Wren, it is a gift for a peaceful afterlife. Though she has one of the highest callings in her village, and they rely on her power to both speak to the bone and to send their souls to the bone life, she is not well treated by the Council of the village. They hate that she is BoneKeeper because she is the first female BoneKeeper born to the village, and because the council is mostly full of egotistical power-hungry men they don't like that very much. Because of how the council treats her, she eventually starts to wear certain bone, if the soul agrees, for protection. Lorcan is her most trusted bone Protector. Eventually certain events happen that lead Wren to have to leave her village. She travels far with two men from her village, and she sees how much more there is to the world outside her City of Bone.
There is so much more that happens in this book that I can't say because of spoilers but it is so good. This book has a lot of death in it. Sacrificial death, violent death, death from elements, so if death in any form is triggering to you, please be aware that it happens a lot in this book. There are also a lot of dark themes in this book SA and child abuse being some of them. So please check your triggers before you read if you have any triggers.
This book is probably one of my best reads of the year. Not just because of the story, even though it is fantastic, but because of the writing. The writing in the book is beautiful. It is descriptive and poetic and lyrical, it is just a masterpiece in my opinion. I just loved the writing, we got so much story and substance. It wasn't just a vibes read, there was some incredible writing going on.
I LOVED the romance in this book, though I do not know for sure who the MMC's in the group will be. (this book is marketed as a why choose not a love triangle yay!) Even so yes there are quite a few possibilities of MMC's I'm just not sure yet if there are only three or four. With that being said, the romance in this book is top tier slow burn! I loved it. The longing, the tension, the will they won't they. The fact that their is so much romantic tension between all the possible MMC's and the FMC and all we got were stolen kisses, if that? Bravo, that is a slow burn done right for me, because it's only the first book in the trilogy there is so much actual relationship to build on. Not just between the MMC's and the FMC, but the relationships between the MMC's. To watch some of who I think will be in the group slowly build a friendship I loved it.
I highly recommend this book. Yes it is long, but the story and the characters are so worth it. There is so much substance to both the story and the characters, I just love it all.
Thank you so much to Elise Fry for sending me this e-ARC. Here is my honest review.
I loved this book. I know it is long, she is a chunky book, but in my opinion it is so worth it.
✨Review summery✨
-Heavy themes check triggers.
-INCREDIBLE writing.
-Top tier slow burn why choose romance.
-Highly recommend.
This book starts in Wren's, the FMC's, village. She is what her people call a BoneKeeper. She has the ability to take the souls of those who died and keep them in their bones and then they live on it what is called their Bone Life. From the bones the souls can still talk to their families through Wren, it is a gift for a peaceful afterlife. Though she has one of the highest callings in her village, and they rely on her power to both speak to the bone and to send their souls to the bone life, she is not well treated by the Council of the village. They hate that she is BoneKeeper because she is the first female BoneKeeper born to the village, and because the council is mostly full of egotistical power-hungry men they don't like that very much. Because of how the council treats her, she eventually starts to wear certain bone, if the soul agrees, for protection. Lorcan is her most trusted bone Protector. Eventually certain events happen that lead Wren to have to leave her village. She travels far with two men from her village, and she sees how much more there is to the world outside her City of Bone.
There is so much more that happens in this book that I can't say because of spoilers but it is so good. This book has a lot of death in it. Sacrificial death, violent death, death from elements, so if death in any form is triggering to you, please be aware that it happens a lot in this book. There are also a lot of dark themes in this book SA and child abuse being some of them. So please check your triggers before you read if you have any triggers.
This book is probably one of my best reads of the year. Not just because of the story, even though it is fantastic, but because of the writing. The writing in the book is beautiful. It is descriptive and poetic and lyrical, it is just a masterpiece in my opinion. I just loved the writing, we got so much story and substance. It wasn't just a vibes read, there was some incredible writing going on.
I LOVED the romance in this book, though I do not know for sure who the MMC's in the group will be. (this book is marketed as a why choose not a love triangle yay!) Even so yes there are quite a few possibilities of MMC's I'm just not sure yet if there are only three or four. With that being said, the romance in this book is top tier slow burn! I loved it. The longing, the tension, the will they won't they. The fact that their is so much romantic tension between all the possible MMC's and the FMC and all we got were stolen kisses, if that? Bravo, that is a slow burn done right for me, because it's only the first book in the trilogy there is so much actual relationship to build on. Not just between the MMC's and the FMC, but the relationships between the MMC's. To watch some of who I think will be in the group slowly build a friendship I loved it.
I highly recommend this book. Yes it is long, but the story and the characters are so worth it. There is so much substance to both the story and the characters, I just love it all.
June 10, 2025
Wren was not raised like the other children of her village. That’s because she is the youngest Keeper the bones have ever chosen. Bones are everywhere where she comes from, making up the very walls they live within. Many still have their souls inside them, and those that do whisper to a single chosen one every generation. They chose Wren as soon as she was born.
The Bones also choose who will become an Offering to the gods at the BoneKeeper’s hand. At least, that’s what is supposed to happen. Some on the Council saw Wren’s youth and gender as weakness. They saw that as opportunity. They have worked hard to bend her – and the very laws of nature – to their will.
This first installment of the trilogy is a fully immersive, gritty and riveting dystopian fantasy with a lot of pain and anger inside of it. At the same time, it’s weaving a number of lovely stories about community and tradition and the ways we interact with death and grief. The magic system is downright macabre, but it draws you in in a way you can’t turn away from.
The content warnings deserve careful review, but the darkness never feels forced for the sake of brutality and shock value. Instead, it serves as a contrast to highlight the enduring slivers of joy, wonder, love that can still slip through the cracks of even the harshest of worlds. It tells powerful stories of grief, including aspects of it far less ugly than those that typically spring to mind with the topic.
Using this lens of grief, we see the necessity of community in daily life. It teaches us hard lessons about protecting our communities. It beautifully demonstrates the complexity and messiness of humans. Readers see how a good person can become a person who believes themselves to be the only good one when everyone else disagrees. We see how this affects the community as a whole when an individual is not correctly supported early enough. The damage that can be done by seemingly small actions of intentional misinformation or looking the other way is achingly clear here.
This book has a listed print length of 716 pages for the paperback version. Typically when I read books of that length, the pacing is slower than I prefer. Or, when there are multiple POVs, there’s usually one or two I’m less fond of. At no point during The BoneKeeper’s Daughter did I feel that way. I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through, eager to know what came next. I spent nights reading until 3 or 4 in the morning when I needed to get my daughter up for school in the morning.
Yes, there were moments where I had to put the book down and process for a while, but I never wanted a moment to rush. I’m already hungry for the next installment of this trilogy, which will be called The BloodLetter’s Sister. I have not found any announcement yet of a release date, but I’m sure I’ll be giving you an update. I’ll be trying to get my hands on an advance copy of that one too.
(Review notes originally published to writing.hallidaynelson.com)
The Bones also choose who will become an Offering to the gods at the BoneKeeper’s hand. At least, that’s what is supposed to happen. Some on the Council saw Wren’s youth and gender as weakness. They saw that as opportunity. They have worked hard to bend her – and the very laws of nature – to their will.
This first installment of the trilogy is a fully immersive, gritty and riveting dystopian fantasy with a lot of pain and anger inside of it. At the same time, it’s weaving a number of lovely stories about community and tradition and the ways we interact with death and grief. The magic system is downright macabre, but it draws you in in a way you can’t turn away from.
The content warnings deserve careful review, but the darkness never feels forced for the sake of brutality and shock value. Instead, it serves as a contrast to highlight the enduring slivers of joy, wonder, love that can still slip through the cracks of even the harshest of worlds. It tells powerful stories of grief, including aspects of it far less ugly than those that typically spring to mind with the topic.
Using this lens of grief, we see the necessity of community in daily life. It teaches us hard lessons about protecting our communities. It beautifully demonstrates the complexity and messiness of humans. Readers see how a good person can become a person who believes themselves to be the only good one when everyone else disagrees. We see how this affects the community as a whole when an individual is not correctly supported early enough. The damage that can be done by seemingly small actions of intentional misinformation or looking the other way is achingly clear here.
This book has a listed print length of 716 pages for the paperback version. Typically when I read books of that length, the pacing is slower than I prefer. Or, when there are multiple POVs, there’s usually one or two I’m less fond of. At no point during The BoneKeeper’s Daughter did I feel that way. I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through, eager to know what came next. I spent nights reading until 3 or 4 in the morning when I needed to get my daughter up for school in the morning.
Yes, there were moments where I had to put the book down and process for a while, but I never wanted a moment to rush. I’m already hungry for the next installment of this trilogy, which will be called The BloodLetter’s Sister. I have not found any announcement yet of a release date, but I’m sure I’ll be giving you an update. I’ll be trying to get my hands on an advance copy of that one too.
(Review notes originally published to writing.hallidaynelson.com)
June 2, 2025
I don’t usually read the trigger warnings. Very little triggers me, don’t be like me, read the warnings, but something nudged me this time. And I’m glad I looked, because instead of pulling back, I leaned in.
If you’ve ever gotten that rush from a Penelope Douglas book or one of Shantel Tessier’s romances that dares you to look away, you’ll understand what I mean. I didn’t need protection from the dark, I wanted to see how deep it went.
What I found in The Bonekeeper’s Daughter was hauntingly beautiful. A world where the earth demands sacrifice. Where bones whisper secrets. Where Wren, a five-year-old girl, becomes the youngest BoneKeeper and the first female one. She’s not chosen by tradition, but by the dead themselves.
The fantasy is rich. The atmosphere drips with tension. The bones speak numbers, names, and memories, fragments that trail like mist. Elise Fry’s prose is stunning. Not quite lyrical, not quite poetic, but undeniably alive. It felt like standing in the rain, just listening.
But the pacing… that’s where I struggled. This is a slow read. Purposefully slow. Sometimes it worked, like a story told under candlelight. Other times, it meandered. At nearly 800 pages, the story trotted when it should have galloped.
And the romance? It’s supposed to be a why choose… but reads more like a love pentagon where no one shows up. No fire. No tension. No ache. Wren is worshipped, not loved. Desired, not understood. Of all the men, only Kaden sees her clearly, but he’s the outsider, the rulebreaker, the one who doesn’t belong.
The rest? Silas, Rannoch, Tahrik they fold under tradition. They don’t rise. And the connection between them all felt hollow. This wasn’t the kind of romance that claws at you. It was a whisper, easily ignored.
There are moments of softness. Sparkling scenes that bloom in the dark. But I kept asking: What is her true purpose? She’s called vital, but treated like a symbol. A vessel. And as a reader, I felt that distance.
Still, those final three chapters? Wrecked me. I felt everything I’d been waiting for. But by then, I was already exhausted from the wandering.
➤ This book is grand. Ambitious. Lush. Quietly powerful. But it needed sharpening. A deeper romance arc. A bolder structure. A rhythm that didn’t lull so hard it lost its way.
I wouldn’t tell anyone not to read it, especially if you love slow-burning, atmospheric fantasy. But if you’re here for emotional payoff, romance, or urgency… this one might test your patience.
★★★☆☆ ½ (rounded for concept + writing)
Check out my full review on my blog The Diary of a Reader
If you’ve ever gotten that rush from a Penelope Douglas book or one of Shantel Tessier’s romances that dares you to look away, you’ll understand what I mean. I didn’t need protection from the dark, I wanted to see how deep it went.
What I found in The Bonekeeper’s Daughter was hauntingly beautiful. A world where the earth demands sacrifice. Where bones whisper secrets. Where Wren, a five-year-old girl, becomes the youngest BoneKeeper and the first female one. She’s not chosen by tradition, but by the dead themselves.
The fantasy is rich. The atmosphere drips with tension. The bones speak numbers, names, and memories, fragments that trail like mist. Elise Fry’s prose is stunning. Not quite lyrical, not quite poetic, but undeniably alive. It felt like standing in the rain, just listening.
But the pacing… that’s where I struggled. This is a slow read. Purposefully slow. Sometimes it worked, like a story told under candlelight. Other times, it meandered. At nearly 800 pages, the story trotted when it should have galloped.
And the romance? It’s supposed to be a why choose… but reads more like a love pentagon where no one shows up. No fire. No tension. No ache. Wren is worshipped, not loved. Desired, not understood. Of all the men, only Kaden sees her clearly, but he’s the outsider, the rulebreaker, the one who doesn’t belong.
The rest? Silas, Rannoch, Tahrik they fold under tradition. They don’t rise. And the connection between them all felt hollow. This wasn’t the kind of romance that claws at you. It was a whisper, easily ignored.
There are moments of softness. Sparkling scenes that bloom in the dark. But I kept asking: What is her true purpose? She’s called vital, but treated like a symbol. A vessel. And as a reader, I felt that distance.
Still, those final three chapters? Wrecked me. I felt everything I’d been waiting for. But by then, I was already exhausted from the wandering.
➤ This book is grand. Ambitious. Lush. Quietly powerful. But it needed sharpening. A deeper romance arc. A bolder structure. A rhythm that didn’t lull so hard it lost its way.
I wouldn’t tell anyone not to read it, especially if you love slow-burning, atmospheric fantasy. But if you’re here for emotional payoff, romance, or urgency… this one might test your patience.
★★★☆☆ ½ (rounded for concept + writing)
Check out my full review on my blog The Diary of a Reader
June 4, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
First of all thank you to the Nerd Fam and author for the gifted ARC. With that being said:
Where to even start with this one lol. I am going to start with the good so this is not too negative of a review.
The plot was very unique and I thought the powers that the FMC had were very interesting. The world is very elaborate and there were many details put into this book. I also did enjoy the FMC, I think she had a lot of growth throughout this book and was not the same character at the end that she was in the beginning. There were also quite a few side characters I enjoyed and I did like that we got multi-POV’s.
Now with that being said, there was quite a bit that was not great. While the world was elaborate it was almost too elaborate. I had no idea what’s as going on for at least the first 200 pages with the amount of word building. Not to mention that the plot seemed to change multiple times so the world building felt like it kept going the entire book with the introduction of new characters, and new lands, and new customs. I think the FMC was just as confused as I was the entire time. As for the plot I truly have no idea what the book was about. I’m used to there being a bigger plot with some subplots here and there, but I am not sure what the bigger plot was here. Also there were so many plot holes left open between what happened with her home village, to what was going on with the two MMC’s that were with her when she came to be with this new tribe, to what her purpose is.
I also did not love how even though we got multi-POV’s we only got the other ones when they were around the FMC. So any time they were separated and wanted to know what was going on with them we didn’t really know until they were with FMC again and kind of got a short summary? It made it seem like MMC’s were only there to talk about the FMC and did not have much of a thought process or depth. I also think this is the first ever why choose I have read where I wasn’t complete sure who the chosen were and that had 1 🌶️ worth of spice. It felt like she just collected a bunch of male friends that are clearly in love with her ??? I feel like she had the most chemistry with the soul in the bone necklace she wore.
Long story short I have no clue what I just read or what happened and a small part of me wants to continue the series just to know what happens with our FMC, but also I can’t read another 800 pages of that continuous word building with essentially no plot 😅
First of all thank you to the Nerd Fam and author for the gifted ARC. With that being said:
Where to even start with this one lol. I am going to start with the good so this is not too negative of a review.
The plot was very unique and I thought the powers that the FMC had were very interesting. The world is very elaborate and there were many details put into this book. I also did enjoy the FMC, I think she had a lot of growth throughout this book and was not the same character at the end that she was in the beginning. There were also quite a few side characters I enjoyed and I did like that we got multi-POV’s.
Now with that being said, there was quite a bit that was not great. While the world was elaborate it was almost too elaborate. I had no idea what’s as going on for at least the first 200 pages with the amount of word building. Not to mention that the plot seemed to change multiple times so the world building felt like it kept going the entire book with the introduction of new characters, and new lands, and new customs. I think the FMC was just as confused as I was the entire time. As for the plot I truly have no idea what the book was about. I’m used to there being a bigger plot with some subplots here and there, but I am not sure what the bigger plot was here. Also there were so many plot holes left open between what happened with her home village, to what was going on with the two MMC’s that were with her when she came to be with this new tribe, to what her purpose is.
I also did not love how even though we got multi-POV’s we only got the other ones when they were around the FMC. So any time they were separated and wanted to know what was going on with them we didn’t really know until they were with FMC again and kind of got a short summary? It made it seem like MMC’s were only there to talk about the FMC and did not have much of a thought process or depth. I also think this is the first ever why choose I have read where I wasn’t complete sure who the chosen were and that had 1 🌶️ worth of spice. It felt like she just collected a bunch of male friends that are clearly in love with her ??? I feel like she had the most chemistry with the soul in the bone necklace she wore.
Long story short I have no clue what I just read or what happened and a small part of me wants to continue the series just to know what happens with our FMC, but also I can’t read another 800 pages of that continuous word building with essentially no plot 😅
June 20, 2025
“𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖜𝖊 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖌𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖆𝖜𝖆𝖞 𝖘𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖇𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖚𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝖜𝖊 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖐𝖊𝖊𝖕, 𝖘𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖘.”
Well….what do we have here? Romantasy ? 👀👀 yes…when I say I read everything I mean I read EVERYTHING! And let me tell you, I am LOVING all of these authors coming out with Gothic Dark Romantasy books ! Give them all to me so I can devour and love them! This was my first read by Elise Fry and I PROMISE it will not be my last. They have gone to the list of my insta read authors. This book was dark, creative and beautiful in a haunting way. I struggle to find the right words to describe it and just how good it truly is. You have to lose yourself in the world Elise has built to truly grasp the magic that’s been created.
Fair warning…this book touches on some very dark and disturbing topics such as SA , child abuse….so please…go over the trigger warnings before starting the book and always remember that your mental health comes first. If it’s too triggering, it’s ok to put it down and walk away. You come first, always ❤️ This is also a VERY, VERY LONG BOOK. 700 plus pages…and a very slow burn with just kidding but LOTS of yearning which I love. Just keep that in mind when you pick it up.
This book is a lot of world building…setting us up for the next books in the series and giving us a solid foundation of how the systems in this society work. Wren is our FMC and known as a “Keeper”. She is able to collect the souls of those who have passed on and store them in their bones…she’s also able to communicate with them and allow them to communicate with their loved ones through her. This power is one that has only been held by men in the past…Wren is the first female to ever wield this power and it causes a lot of unrest with the council. The council is made up of old misogynistic men who think women can’t do anything so when they see Wren who not only holds the power but excels at it, they instantly want to find a way to get rid of her…afraid of being usurped by a women. Literally MEN. Even in fiction they are just the worst 😒
Something happens that forces Wren to leave her village. Accompanied by two men who are also from her village. We don’t exactly know who the MMC’s are going to be. There are a lot of options and there’s a lot of tension and yearning building between Wren and certain characters. So I am really happy that this is a why choose book because it allows her to get what she needs from the men who can provide it for her.
Wren is on a journey to save not just herself but the people she loves and the foundation of the world they live in. It’s hard to give more without giving away everything. It’s truly one of those kinds of books you need to read yourself to fully understand and grasp.
Elise’s writing is hauntingly beautiful and you can feel the emotions with every word. You can feel the pain and the desperation from each characters and it sucks you in without you even knowing. I promise…this is a book all Romantasy lovers will go crazy for. And if you’ve never tried Romantasy before, let this be your first. You won’t regret it ❤️
Thank you so much to Elise Fry and The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to ARC read this phenomenal story ❤️
⚔️Dark Romantasy
🥀Gothic Vibes
⚔️EXTREME Slow Burn
🥀Yearning to the MAX
⚔️Intricate World Building
🥀Fantasy
⚔️Why Choose
🥀Misogynistic Rulers
⚔️Strong AF FMC
🥀Heroine in Danger
⚔️Magic
🥀Enemies to Lovers
⚔️Forced Proximity
🥀Folklore
⚔️Gods & Goddesses
🥀Myths & Legends
⚔️Cliffhanger
Well….what do we have here? Romantasy ? 👀👀 yes…when I say I read everything I mean I read EVERYTHING! And let me tell you, I am LOVING all of these authors coming out with Gothic Dark Romantasy books ! Give them all to me so I can devour and love them! This was my first read by Elise Fry and I PROMISE it will not be my last. They have gone to the list of my insta read authors. This book was dark, creative and beautiful in a haunting way. I struggle to find the right words to describe it and just how good it truly is. You have to lose yourself in the world Elise has built to truly grasp the magic that’s been created.
Fair warning…this book touches on some very dark and disturbing topics such as SA , child abuse….so please…go over the trigger warnings before starting the book and always remember that your mental health comes first. If it’s too triggering, it’s ok to put it down and walk away. You come first, always ❤️ This is also a VERY, VERY LONG BOOK. 700 plus pages…and a very slow burn with just kidding but LOTS of yearning which I love. Just keep that in mind when you pick it up.
This book is a lot of world building…setting us up for the next books in the series and giving us a solid foundation of how the systems in this society work. Wren is our FMC and known as a “Keeper”. She is able to collect the souls of those who have passed on and store them in their bones…she’s also able to communicate with them and allow them to communicate with their loved ones through her. This power is one that has only been held by men in the past…Wren is the first female to ever wield this power and it causes a lot of unrest with the council. The council is made up of old misogynistic men who think women can’t do anything so when they see Wren who not only holds the power but excels at it, they instantly want to find a way to get rid of her…afraid of being usurped by a women. Literally MEN. Even in fiction they are just the worst 😒
Something happens that forces Wren to leave her village. Accompanied by two men who are also from her village. We don’t exactly know who the MMC’s are going to be. There are a lot of options and there’s a lot of tension and yearning building between Wren and certain characters. So I am really happy that this is a why choose book because it allows her to get what she needs from the men who can provide it for her.
Wren is on a journey to save not just herself but the people she loves and the foundation of the world they live in. It’s hard to give more without giving away everything. It’s truly one of those kinds of books you need to read yourself to fully understand and grasp.
Elise’s writing is hauntingly beautiful and you can feel the emotions with every word. You can feel the pain and the desperation from each characters and it sucks you in without you even knowing. I promise…this is a book all Romantasy lovers will go crazy for. And if you’ve never tried Romantasy before, let this be your first. You won’t regret it ❤️
Thank you so much to Elise Fry and The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to ARC read this phenomenal story ❤️
⚔️Dark Romantasy
🥀Gothic Vibes
⚔️EXTREME Slow Burn
🥀Yearning to the MAX
⚔️Intricate World Building
🥀Fantasy
⚔️Why Choose
🥀Misogynistic Rulers
⚔️Strong AF FMC
🥀Heroine in Danger
⚔️Magic
🥀Enemies to Lovers
⚔️Forced Proximity
🥀Folklore
⚔️Gods & Goddesses
🥀Myths & Legends
⚔️Cliffhanger
May 31, 2025
Wren is the Bonekeeper, a girl who listens to the dead and carries their stories in a world where bones remember and secrets don’t stay buried. Her role is sacred, eerie, and deeply powerful, which makes her a convenient pawn for the village Council as deadly seasonal storms loom. But Wren’s starting to question the rules, the rulers, and what exactly the bones are warning her about.
This dark, atmospheric "why choose" fantasy is thick with folklore, slow-burn tension, and morally gray love interests who all seem a bit too comfortable with secrets. The romance simmers, more emotional gravity than steamy payoff, but the pull is real and tangled in themes of power, betrayal, and longing.
The worldbuilding is dense, immersive, and occasionally overwhelming. It’s a feast if you love lore, but it demands full focus. You’ll need patience to follow Wren through memory shifts, myth-laced history, and the political games of a village that offers up its people to the gods, quite literally.
While the pacing can drag early on, once Wren starts standing her ground, the story picks up fast with rich character growth and stunning reveals. Is the plot occasionally confusing? Yes. Does it matter? Not really, because the vibe is immaculate.
The book is massive, ambitious, and refuses to take the easy way out. Could it have ended at one of its many cliffhangers? Sure. But it doesn’t. It keeps going. And by the end, you’re breathless, maybe a little bewildered, and absolutely desperate for the sequel.
Bone magic. Dead gods. Lonely girls. Haunting romance. Lore for days. If any of that speaks to you, grab this book when it drops on June 7. Just don’t expect to casually skim. You’ll want your full brain (and maybe a notebook) for this one.
What to Expect:
💀 Romantasy
💀 Folklore
💀 Strong, Adult FMC
💀 Gods and Goddesses
💀 Slow-Build, Slow-Burn
💀 Fantasy
💀 Enemies to Lovers
💀 Forced Proximity
💀 Myths and Legends
💀 Intricate World Building
Thank you to Elise Fry, the author, and the Nerd Fam team for the ARC opportunity!
This dark, atmospheric "why choose" fantasy is thick with folklore, slow-burn tension, and morally gray love interests who all seem a bit too comfortable with secrets. The romance simmers, more emotional gravity than steamy payoff, but the pull is real and tangled in themes of power, betrayal, and longing.
The worldbuilding is dense, immersive, and occasionally overwhelming. It’s a feast if you love lore, but it demands full focus. You’ll need patience to follow Wren through memory shifts, myth-laced history, and the political games of a village that offers up its people to the gods, quite literally.
While the pacing can drag early on, once Wren starts standing her ground, the story picks up fast with rich character growth and stunning reveals. Is the plot occasionally confusing? Yes. Does it matter? Not really, because the vibe is immaculate.
The book is massive, ambitious, and refuses to take the easy way out. Could it have ended at one of its many cliffhangers? Sure. But it doesn’t. It keeps going. And by the end, you’re breathless, maybe a little bewildered, and absolutely desperate for the sequel.
Bone magic. Dead gods. Lonely girls. Haunting romance. Lore for days. If any of that speaks to you, grab this book when it drops on June 7. Just don’t expect to casually skim. You’ll want your full brain (and maybe a notebook) for this one.
What to Expect:
💀 Romantasy
💀 Folklore
💀 Strong, Adult FMC
💀 Gods and Goddesses
💀 Slow-Build, Slow-Burn
💀 Fantasy
💀 Enemies to Lovers
💀 Forced Proximity
💀 Myths and Legends
💀 Intricate World Building
Thank you to Elise Fry, the author, and the Nerd Fam team for the ARC opportunity!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews