October 2019 Standalone BOTM - The Bone Houses, by Emily Lloyd-Jones

[Alaina]

Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.

[Jenn]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[ I'm really like this so far. I feel bad for Ryn and while I'm pretty sure her father is dead, part of me hopes he isn't. But there's another part of me that believes he will come to her as a bone house and that would just hurt. Ellis is so pure and sweet. just a little mapmaker who has no idea that magic is real. Also the goat is the MVP (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

The Living: (view spoiler)[ poor goat :( so their uncle is dead and came back as a bone house. Thank God it wasn't their father. But I'm still worried he'll show up dead too. I really hate Eynon and I hope he gets his. Wonder what Ryn is gonna do now that the bone houses are attacking the village (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

The Dead: (view spoiler)[ I'm a little confused. So they found Ellis's mom but she's the one with the cauldron. I thought that take was super old but I guess it's not...? Also the goat is still the best character and Run seeing her dad was heartbreaking (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

After (finished): (view spoiler)[ the part with her burying the bone goat actually got me a little sad. I loved that goat. I also really liked her brother and sister. Half that Ellis is staying and that Eynon got put in his place.

Side note: I went back and found the passage about the story of the cauldron and noted that it said about 20 years ago. So it makes more sense now that it was Ellis's mom (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Just started this last night and I’m already interested just from the prologue!!

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

25% (view spoiler)[Ok so the bone houses are basically zombies. Eynon is such a D*ck and I hope the first bone house to wander into town wanders into his house. It's unfortunate no one believes in the magic and bone houses anymore because I think they are all in for a rude awakening. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

50% (view spoiler)[Something's up with these villagers. I wonder if some of their family are bone houses and that's why they live so far from most and hidden in the woods. I was really sad about the goat so I'm glad even though it's dead it came back lol. I mean it's not trying to go all zombie and eat them so that's a win for me :) (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

75% (view spoiler)[I knew she was gonna run into her dad but still, damn that moment when she realized who he was. Hope that wasn’t the last we see of him, I kept thinking he was going to save her by sacrificing himself to this sea dragon thing but alas she saved herself. Wonder how they’ll get back across the lake now. 🤷🏼‍♀️ (hide spoiler)]
Finished (view spoiler)[So this was an ok read. I dunno it just wasn’t overly thrilling. The whole entering the kingdom of the old gods seemed kind of anticlimactic. Even Ellis finding out he’s the child from the legends and his mother is the cause of bone Houses existing. I’m sad she didn’t see her goat again but more importantly mad Eynon didn’t get what was coming to him. I mean he deserved at least a little beat down, he was getting sick enjoyment out of taking the house from three children, he’s an ass. Overall I mean it was ok but I wouldn’t read it again. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Jenn wrote: "After (finished): the part with her burying the bone goat actually got me a little sad. I loved that goat. I also really liked her brother and sister. Half that Ellis is staying and that Eynon got..."

(view spoiler)[Honestly I think the goat was my favorite part of the booklol (hide spoiler)]

[Damselflies]

Since Ninth House at the moment sadly cannot capture my attention at all, let's see if I can start, keep attention and finish this in the few hours that is left :')

Started

[Dr. Andy]

Ch 13 (view spoiler)[I like the world of this story so far. It has a gothic and dark feeling to it. I find it fascinating that the dead don’t always stay dead. I really don’t like that man who owns Rins debt. HES an asshoke. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 22 (view spoiler)[man what’s up with Ellis’s shoulder. This doesn’t seem good. Also I wonder if Ellis and Rin will be secretly related or something. I feel like we’ll have to find out who his parents are by the end. And I hope they tell that governor dude to shove it. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ THis was a decent read. I kinda wish there hadn't been any romance though (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "75% [spoilers removed]
Finished [spoilers removed]"

That freaking goat was so great lmao