A Spell of Bones and Madness

The Nostos #2

by E.K. Condos

Blood.

Daggers.

Golden chains.

Katrin’s nightmares have returned. This time they are not visions of the past, but the present. His present.

Castle Drakos hadn’t been attacked since the ancient war. Until that day. The day everything changed. The day she became Queen. The day she barely escaped with her life in exchange for Alexander’s.

Now Katrin must work with the crew of The Nostos and several unlikely allies to not only rescue Alexander, but journey through the depths of Aidesian itself to prevent Hades from being resurrected.

Because if King Athanas and the King of Harrenfort have their way, the fallen will rise.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Pirates, Mythology, Romance

373 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2025

Reviews

[Kendra Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: I have never SCREAMED so loud about an ARC in my entire life as I did for this book. 5 stars. Easily. No question.

Thank you SO MUCH to EK Condos for this gorgeous whirlwind of pain and longing.

ASpell of Bones and Madness was even more fast paced than A Wrecking of Salt and Fire was (and I really, truly, deeply adored that book). Emily upped the stakes across the board. There were Cardan Greenbriar love letter vibes and physical agony for their beloveds. Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann have literally NOTHING on the loves of my life between these pages. The Greek Odyssey turned romantasy feel is my new Roman Empire.

If you never listen to a single book I've recommended ever again, know that I would drag myself across a beach of broken glass to get you all to read this book.

Be right back, immediately racing to reread both books together again. *swoons*



SHRIEKS IN INCOMPREHENSIBLE WAILS

GIRLIE GIMME THE BOOK PLEEEEEEEASE. LET ME IN LET ME INNNNNN.

[readsbyanaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOWOWOWOW! You guys already know how much I loved book one and ASOBAM picks up right where we left off and when I tell you this book consumed every part of my soul, I speak no lies! I love having multiple POVs so I was thrilled when we got more in this book.

The lore was so intriguing that you can’t help but be sucked into the story. Condos does an exceptional job of capturing the essence of your traditional Greek mythology and weaving a unique and beautiful narrative. And the villains?? I mean I was screaming, shouting, and throwing my kindle across the room. But man oh man did this check all of the boxes! If you haven’t read book one (A Wrecking of Salt and Fire) do so and pre-order your copy of book two because this is a must read!

Thank you EK Condos for having me as an ARC reader!

[Effy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I know I am late to the party BUT happy release day to this beautiful masterpiece and its creator, first and foremost. I haven’t been part of an ARC team in a long while and it is an incredible honour for me that I could to return to ARC’s with this beautifully crafted story. I loved the first book immensely, the Greek mythology elements already sparking through then and taking its pique presence in “A spell of bones and madness”was my personal highlight, as someone who is an incredible Greek mythology nerd. I know in my previous post about this series I made the pirate elements a big point, but this is more than just a pirate trope. It’s a complex crafted world with several beloved attributes and tropes playing into each other and weaving a beautiful pictures. The author really manages to capture beauty, sass, love, action, friendship, betrayal, loss and many more emotions with her words, and she hooks you right in it, making you feel and fear for the characters and everything and everyone they love. My personal favourite character was Ember and Ajax, their story gripping me ever since their first interaction in the first book. Naturally, the cliffhanger at the end had me nearly tossing my kindle out into the water, and I need to know how it continues ASAP, I need to know what happens to Ajax, to the kingdom, (and low key? I need to know what’s up with Kohl that lil mf)

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Spell of Bones & Madness✨

Wow y’all. If you love Greek mythology with a twist, multi romance, high stakes, and meddling gods then you will LOVE this series!

We begin this sequel right where we left off after that wild ending in Wrecking of Salt & Fire and this time we get way more POVs!! This book was equally an intense ride and I found myself wanting to keep reading to know what happened next. There is more magic. More torture. New abilities. Plot twists. Hidden identities. The villains are VILLAINOUS. And so much fun mythology. The world is split between land and water with many new Caribbean and Mediterranean vibe places! The found family is so good and expands in this installment full of tension, spice, and plenty of yearning. AND SO MANY NEW QUESTIONS!! I have so many questions and am so intrigued with all these reveals and loose ends. Condos definitely keeps you intrigued and guessing!

I love love loved the romance. The lore was so intriguing and I enjoyed its familiarity as well as its uniqueness. The ending! Woof! I am just so eager to know what Condos has up her sleeve! Can’t wait to see how this continues!

Tropes you may find in ASOBAM are forced proximity, shifters and magic, meddling gods, fated mates and unique bonds, mental speak and pet familiars, greek mythology twists, medium-ish spice (2 scenes, but not super graphic), touch her and ☠️, lots of protective and handsome males, she saves him, found family, “good boy” and a bit of a cliffy.

Emily, thank you so much for letting me be an arc reader for you again! It was such a pleasure and I love your story!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could not get myself to give a shit after reading 30% of the second book. Too many plot holes, 'dare I say's, and POV's.

[Bernadette Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

so much happened!

So much stuff happened in this book! Ander and Katrin of course coming to terms with the events that lead to and resulted in her rescue- we meet more of Anders family which I am all about! We also get to learn more about Thalia the seer, and Leighton (who I love!) Ajax is also an awesome character, who had a pretty sad back story as well- and we learn more about Ember and how strong he truly is.

This book has multiple POVs and from multiple timelines happening simultaneously- which for me totally enriches the story. Especially when there is some romantic tension happening. I love male POVs since they tend to not outwardly express feelings like the females to. This book is heavy on backstory, prophecy, and legend- it can get a little confusing since there are a lot of moving parts and multiple prophecies kind of leading to the same outcome. I love the multiple love interests and I like how much I hate the villains in this story. I won’t speak on Kohl 😡. The cliff at the end of this story is quite steep and this cast of characters has some major obstacles to overcome- I just hope they all make it out alive because I would be caused if they didn’t. (Except the bad guys of course lol). Let’s go book three!

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

A Spell of Bones and Madness is the second book in the series. This book picks up right where we left off in book one. Katrin joins some unlikely allies as they journey to save Ander. More action and twists than the first book. Very high stakes and full of new dangers. They must also journey to the underworld to prevent Hades from returning. Condos introduces a lot more POVs in this one too. I loved getting more from some of the other characters, especially Ember.

If you like your romantasy books with action and adventure this would be perfect for you. It has everything from pirates to Greek mythology to meddling gods. Don’t forget a strong group of characters and an fmc who would burn the world down.

[Hillary Hammock · Rating 5 out of 5]

- multi-POV
- Pirates of the Caribbean meets Greek mythology
- multi-romance
- meddling gods
- Shifters & magic

This pirate romantasy is everything - with magic, betrayal, meddling gods, handsome pirates, heartbreak, and romance.

We begin book 2 right after the insane cliffhanger from the first book. The Nostos crew faces an emotional and epic journey has they rescue Ander and explore the depths of Aidesian to prevent Hades from resurrecting. We get more raw, beautiful moments with almost every beloved character.

I love this world so much - the characters, the war strategy, the magic, the old & new gods dynamic, and of course of the romance between Ander and Katrin.

I’m on the edge of my seat with new questions and need the next book already!

[Catie McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What in the hell!!?? Like this just kept getting better and better and I’m so pissed at the cliffhanger. I knew I hated the right people from book one. I cannot believe how slow the burn is this series but it’s worth it. I don’t know what’s an illusion vs reality!!

[Ashley Merwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

If greek mythology is your thing you definitely want to give this series a chance!

This book picked up right where book 1 (a wrecking of salt and fire) left off with them planning to go rescue Ander. Through the story they are trying to prevent Hades from coming back and fighting against time. This book was just as involved and intense as book one. More plot twists, more secrets, more abilities revealed, and hidden identities! The story is split between land and water just like the first and also multi POV which i appreciate because then you get to see what is going on with other characters in different areas (on a boat, on a different isle, back home etc).

The romance is good, the lore is intriguing, and just like with the previous book you are 👏🏼 LEFT 👏🏼 WANTING 👏🏼 MORE!

In this book you’ll find:
-forced proximity
-shifters & magic
-meddling gods
-fated mates
-pet “familiars”
-she saves him
-found family
-touch her and ☠️

Thanks so much to E.K. Condos for allowing me to read the ARC!! Already impatiently waiting for book 3!

[Laureninpink · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Sydney Victorson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Spell of Bones and Madness is a truly phenomenal follow up to A Wrecking of Salt and Fire! It picks up pretty much right where we left off in book one, and the pacing was relentless. There really weren’t any dull moments. I was fully enthralled every time I picked up the book (and very reluctant every time I had to put it down to participate in real life).

Ander, my beloved…he really goes through it in this book. My heart was hurting for him. I loved getting his POV in this book. Getting to see inside his head rather than just viewing him through Katrin’s eyes was great. I’m hoping we continue getting his POV in the next book as well.

I really enjoyed getting to see how both Ember and Katrin have grown over the past two books. These two are incredibly fierce and strong women. Personally, I wouldn’t try to make an enemy of them, but hey, that’s just me (cough Kohl cough).

We learn a bit more about the magic system and history of the world these characters live in in this installment, and I loved that! I also, as it always is with me, love the Greek mythology inspiration in this series. It’s so fun for me to see these characters and these myths that I recognize while also following a totally new story.

Overall, The Nostos is a fantastic series so far. I genuinely love it so much. It’s Greek mythology meets Pirates of the Caribbean, so if you love one or both of those things, check out these books!

Thank you to E.K. Condos for the early review copy! All opinions are my own!

And out of obligation from my review of AWOSAF and because I still feel this way:

Kohl can rot.

[Meredith D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave us more information on different things going on - magics, the olympi, and the “gods” currently ruling. I will say I did not realize this wouldn’t be the last book, but that’s ok. I did like getting more POVs in this book as I like seeing more of the world and that most easily done when authors split the perspectives as people go to different lands. The writing isn’t top tier but I can easily follow along and while I do with we had more detail on many things (magic, history, peoples) I’m hoping that is a specific choice that is being made by the author. I’ll probably try and read the next book just to see if everyone triumphs and finds their new place in the world

[Heather Altundağ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Reader: 4.25⭐️

OH MY GOODNESS! What was that ending? 🤯 Um… excuse me?!? On another note, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the continuation of the plot from the first book into this one, and how we learn more about some well kept secrets, but then we are left with even more secrets. Has me waiting for the next book to be released. One thing I will say, is I wish the timelines within the book were a little more clear. I kept getting lost in time with how long things would take, and it seemed we would travel through time to see scenes that happen at the same time but in different places from different POVs. I just had to keep taking a moment to figure out how much time and truly passed. But besides that, I think this book is fabulous and everyone should read this whole series. Truly a nice retelling of Greek gods and the myths and legends behind them.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Greek mythology and pirates.. this was a very unique and new type of story! I was hooked from the beginning. This book was fast paced and action packed! I was on my toes the whole time! The yearning and romance side of the story line was perfect. The MMCs were yearning their butts off and I was eating that up and don’t even get me started on the spicy scenes!! The ending omgg give me the next book!! Absolutely a 5 star read! So excited to continue this story!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whirlwind of constant worrying on my end, but in a good way. This was action packed and adventurous. I adored meeting the new additions to the group
I don't have a favorite among the characters involved because they are all so beautiful in their own way! I can't wait for (I'm hoping because that cliffhanger was brutal) the next one!

[Cindy Caballero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful women, devoted men, and a ship full of vengeance-fueled chaos? A Spell of Bones and Madness delivered. Katrin is a full-force storm, dead-set on saving Ander with the help of a found family forged in sacrifice. Ember and Katrin? Unshakable. Ander and Ajax? Obsessed and ready to burn the world down for their girls. The crew of The Nostos doesn’t just face battles — they become the storm.

[Georgina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, what a fucking cliffhanger!!!

Now that I got that out of my system, the epic 2nd book in the Nostos series is wow, blew me out the water. I think I read this one faster than the first because it was fast paced and high tempo right from the start. So sad that the next book is about Thalia and Demitrius because I need to know what is going on!!!

[Krystan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid 4.5 stars for the second book in the Nostos series. The first book was a surprise favorite for me and I was psyched to get an ARC for book two. I love the characters and the side characters. The mix of pirates and Greek mythology and magic are a big time winner for me.

[Shannelle Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed that the typical book two miscommunication & fighting feelings trope didn’t last too long and didn’t overshadow the whole story! The pacing of this book kinda threw me off but I’m looking forward to the third one!

[Laci O’Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fantastic!
I did like the romance of the side characters more than thr main characters.

I love the twist on Greek mythology. Also listening to this as an audiobook gives a whole extra layer to the understanding of the characters.

I loved seeing Ember’s character development and adding new characters to the cast.

[Tierney Egan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ I need the third book 😭

[Thrill-a-read · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ran to Book 2 immediately after finishing Book 1, so I’m shocked to report that I DNF’d this a little over two hours into the audiobook. I’m convinced Salem Udean is an AI bot or a narrator who leverages AI. “Hearth” and “brow” were mispronounced within a ten minute period. There are so many pronunciation errors, and his voice is SO robotic when there’s not dialogue. It completely pulls you out of the story.

This plot line feels hectic and there’s lots of info dumping all of a sudden. I really enjoyed Book 1, but this just isn’t doing it for me. I’m really disappointed!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me a month to complete. That is really unheard of for me and I think it speaks volumes to this books ability to hold my attention. Book 2 felt like it could have used a few more rounds of editing to really flush out the plot and streamline the pacing. There were times when I genuinely didn't understand what was happening and why. Almost like too many different plots (and too many POVs) were happening at once but none of them were very strong. The ending felt rushed and ended in a way that felt like there was a chapter or two missing from the end. It was less like a thought through cliffhanger and more like an unnatural ending to the book. I got to the end and felt confused.

I will be continuing with the series because I want to see it's conclusion and I do like that the next book follows a different couple that I'm interested in but I hope the overall plot is better flushed out. Book 1 started out strong but this one didn't really meet the mark.

[Alli Carlson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5 stars

Book 2 in the Nostos series, A Spell of Bones and Madness, truly lives up to its tagline:
“A broody commander, a smug prince, and monsters of the underworld—what could possibly go wrong?”
Apparently this storyline can take a total wrong turn.


This installment is darker than Book 1, but the adventure is undeniably creative and unique. I loved the expanded cast of characters and multiple POVs, as well as the dual plotlines:
1. A rescue mission.
2. A dangerous trip to the underworld to face Katrin and Ember’s father and uncover the truth about an inevitable war.

The imagination poured into this book is so impressive, and for the first 60% I was hooked—I even read it in a single day. Unfortunately, the last 40% (especially the final 10%) unraveled into complete chaos. It was messy, confusing, and left me repeatedly asking, “What is even going on?” It took what could’ve been a 4-star read down to a 2.5.

I’m torn on whether I’ll continue the series, which is disappointing given how much fun the first half of this book was.

[Amber Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book had me hooked with the tension between Ander and Katrin but this book just fizzled out for me. It felt rushed through to the rescue mission and Katrin did not really get a baddy touch him and die moment. Then I thought, well we will at least get back that lusty tension and finally reunion romance with the truth out but no…. He brooded and it rushed from his self-loathing and pity into let’s save the islands with a couple sweet moments. No spicy or steamy reunion. I feel like all the connections trying to be made with various side characters took away from the time spent on the FMC and MMC so it fell flat and we really didn’t get enough time to see the other relationships develop because it was forced too quickly with no real depth so we got no real satisfaction through the character developments.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly what the heck did I read? The first book had so much promise but I feel the second really took a nosedive. The multiple narratives really caused mayhem this book. Storylines were not able to be followed easily. Personalities didn’t change, everyone felt the exact same but it was supposed to be someone new. Last book felt more build up a couple character perspectives so you can get their story and what’s going on and it worked and this felt like everyone needs their own chapter. It didn’t work.

So much confusion of what the plot of this book even is about. Not sure if the author even knows end game of the series here either.

Overall probably not going to read another one of these.

[Bookish Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dedication: To anyone who has ever felt like they weren't worth saving.

From the prologue, I was hooked. I mean, you don’t start a book with letters full of heartbreak from our favorite character & then just stop reading. No. You demand more. You need to know how everyone is doing after that bombshell of a finale in book 1. And, let me tell you, they aren’t doing great. But I love it. No, not in the “I like people in pain” kind of way, but in the “damn, this is fantastic storytelling” kind of way. Emily pulls no punches with this book.

“You may hurt me, strip skin and flesh from my body, sear fire into my bones, but you will never touch her again.”

The consequences from A Wrecking of Salt and Fire (book 1) are not simply swept under the rug & moved on from quickly. Instead, she fleshes them out, making everything feel more realistic as we move alongside the characters dealing with their trauma in real-time.

“It is alright to remember—to remember love. They cannot take that from you. They can never take love from you, not truly, not from here.” She placed her small hand over his heart.
...
Not once that night did she leave, and despite his initial dismissal, Ander was grateful. For once in his life, someone had chosen to save him.

The way she writes is cinematic. Everything feels heightened, even the character-driven scenes that typically make the reader slow down, are written with an emotional urgency so the words fly off the page.

Ander had saved her, time and time again. Now it was her time to do the same. She would burn them all, set the courtyards ablaze, see her castle reduced to ash if it meant he was safe. If it meant the kings were dead. To see those sea-swept eyes filled with such love and longing, to meet those lips even one more time. Wars had been started for much less in ancient times. This was one she’d be happy to wage.

There really isn’t a character I don’t like. Well, I mean, obviously I don’t like the vile ones, but they’re written beautifully wicked. Sometimes, series run into a little bit of an identity crisis & it leaves the reader flailing around, but that’s not the case here. After reading this book, the potential of this series has become increasingly clear & I feel like I know a rough outline of where this journey will take us.

"...What about the Binding Law? What about interfering in the will of the Fates? There will be consequences.” ...
“These are times of war, Katrin, the consequences are worth it.” He was insane. The plan was insane. But it was so insane it might just work..."

But Emily’s writing is so sophisticated that I can’t predict exactly how things will happen, which is both thrilling & frustrating, haha. This is a fantastic follow-up to a book I already loved & I’m excited to see what else is in store for us (especially after that ending!).

If you haven't read A Wrecking of Salt & Fire (book 1), stop right now & go back to read that. This book picks up just after the end of AWOSAF & hits the ground running. Overall, this story expands the world, taking us to more islands & introducing us to more characters.

"...torn between two men. The one who had pretended to be your savior and the one who had sacrificed it all from the shadows.”

Plus, we get a lot more of the myth/lore, meet creatures of the underworld, & there's more magic at work here.

"... You’ll need to save whatever power you have for there. That is where terror can consume you, deep within the caves where the darkness is spurred by spells of bones and madness. It is different than the power you all wield. This is the blood magic of Hades himself. An abomination to the balance between life and death. It will win if left unchecked.”

(And there's one of the best spicy scenes that I just KNOW everyone will be giddy & blushing over when they read it.) Overall, this is such a great level up from the 1st book & it really sets up future stories in this series nicely.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

An improvement over book one… and yet somehow still a slog. Which feels illegal considering this book has everything: fated mates, magic, Greek gods, shifters, warring countries. On paper this should be a personal catnip situation. In practice? Why was boredom creeping in like an uninvited spirit in a haunted house.

Most of the issues from book one are alive, well, and sprinting laps. The pacing is so fast it feels like cardio. There’s no time to sit in emotional beats, no time to digest reveals—just constant narrative whiplash. Meanwhile the worldbuilding is both overstuffed and undercooked. Too complex and too vague at the exact same time. So many information gaps that reading sometimes felt like trying to assemble IKEA furniture with half the instructions missing and a looming sense of doom.

And yet. Somehow. Three stars happened.

Because the characters carried this book on their backs like exhausted pack mules.

Kohl? Massive improvement. Fully settling into his unhinged villain era and finally feeling consistent instead of narratively jittery. The chaos around him feels more intentional now, which makes him way more compelling. Growth! Stability! Villain vibes!

The central romance between Ander and Katrin actually develops here. Still could’ve used more depth and more quiet moments together, but with the breakneck pacing and short page count, the limited expansion wasn’t surprising. There’s something solid underneath—it just keeps getting rushed past like the book has somewhere else to be.

Ajax and Ember, however, absolutely hijack the narrative and drive off with it. Scene stealers. Scene devourers. Possibly the true main characters in spirit. Ajax is operating at peak down-bad, groveling, on-his-knees energy and it is delicious. Ember is a take-no-nonsense force who knows exactly what she wants and refuses to accept crumbs. Together? Magnetic. More compelling than the central couple at times, which is both a compliment and a structural concern.

Biggest surprise: the cliffhanger. Actually good. Genuinely intriguing. The kind that makes continuing the series feel like a possibility despite lingering frustration from book one and this one’s pacing chaos.

So yes: improved characters, stronger dynamics, a villain finally locking into place, and side characters stealing the spotlight. Still messy. Still rushed. Still full of worldbuilding holes you could fall into. But at least this time there was enough character momentum to drag the story to a respectable three stars.

[Ashley - taleswithash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure where to even start… I am so enchanted by this series. I love the mythological elements and the intricate plot and lore. I truly feel like I’ve dove into a new world where I don’t know what will happen next. Even though I’ve read plenty of mythology before, I never know what dynamics and lore will be drawn from in this story. It creates a familiar yet unknown journey that I am so here for!

We really get to dive into the dynamics between Ajax and Ember in this book. They go through so much, and the ups and downs are like, WTF is happening?! The ending with them is just like, OK, we’ll see what happens in the next book, fuck! LOL. I did enjoy their ups and downs though, as you learn more and more about each of them and why they act and think the way they do. It was a great build, and even though I have ALL THE QUESTIONS, I’m excited to see what happens next.

I adore Katrin and Ander. Ander, sweet boy, I was holding my breath through so much of this book for you! You broke my heart. The strength you showed and that moment where I thought it would all be over with Katrin, AHHH! I really had to take a minute to realize my heart rate was going up over words on a page, but I am the way I am. I’ll forever love them but hate how much they had to shoulder in this book. We get the serious side of both of them as they navigate so many challenges. They both feel such deep responsibility for everything that happens, and I just wish they would see how much support they really have. I hope to see their sassy sides with each other again, but they still have quite the journey ahead of them.

There are also SO MANY wonderful characters in this book, and I really enjoy getting to know more and more of them. It takes me a minute to organize who’s who, but it really adds to the intricate plot and makes it that much more exciting to read and try to figure out what’s happening. Then there’s the one character I do not like, Kohl. I eye-roll every time his POV comes up because I know it’ll be some wild shit where he’s basically gaslighting himself. It almost, heavy on the almost, makes me feel bad for him, but then the next line reminds me why I never will, LOL. Sorry, I hold all the grudges, even when Katrin is the most understanding person on the planet.

I cannot wait for the next book! I hope you’re all enjoying this crazy ride too, because this has quickly become one of my favorite series.