"I already seen the airport," is the quote that comes to mind after reading this book. It was like a script for the TV show, The Originals, using the Chanticleer Coven in place of the Mikaelson Family. There's an ancient elder force that everyone is afraid of, an item that must be protected, a realm that souls can access without being dead, voodoo, jazz, and an extensive tour of the French Quarter. There's lots of blood, someone who must be kept from accessing magic, and a deconsecrated church that hosts some terrible events. There's even an "always and forever" quote in the story.
As you might have surmised, this book was not my cup of tea. It might suit someone who watches less teeny-bopper television, but for those of us with younger siblings and teenage daughters, you can skip the tourist trip to the airport and go watch some eye candy instead.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital ARC of this book. This book is true to its title description. The reader won't be disappointed when reading this book.

This is a DNF review for me, but NOT because the book was bad. I DNF'd at 40%. Since I HAVE to give a star rating for Netgalley, and think it's unfair to give it "1 star" when I DNF'd, I'm giving it a rating for what I had encountered so far. Final star count: 2.5 stars.

I very much liked the mysterious atmosphere and the implication of the witches' powers. I wanted to learn where everything was going and how all these different characters were going to tie together. I also really wanted to see more of what the witches could do. I enjoyed how the witches lives were represented in the book. It felt very authentic, as though this is what you'd expect to see if this was all real.

BUT... it was just too slow paced for me and I found myself only reading a few pages every time I'd pick it up. I felt that by 40% things should have started to pick up a little bit, but I felt like we were still laying somewhat of the groundwork.

I ultimately had to stop reading it. I knew that if I kept with it, I'd just get bitter and it would likely result in an unfair, poor review.

Fans of American horror story would enjoy this book about witches losing power. Along with betrayal.

I so wanted to like this book I like trying different genres and thought that this sounded good.However I found it confusing and slow and just didn't connect with it I had to give up in the end and will be more careful about the books I request in future, no one forced me to read this and I hate giving bad reviews but this just wasn't a good fit for me.

I read the first 60 pages, and then gave up. The story jumped timelines and viewpoints a few times and was hard to follow. It felt disjointed, and this far in, I still don't see what direction the story is going in. It felt like too much work to continue trying to read it.

Rich in history and the atmosphere of New Orleans, this dramatic tale of the loves and feuds of two powerful families of witches features intricate characters, well-thought-out lore, and plot twists galore. I visited New Orleans in 2011, and many of the scenes evoked hours spent exploring the French Quarter and beyond. Nowadays the allure of witches (or other magical/supernatural beings) in the “Big Easy,” also known as the City of Second Chances, has given rise to many depictions in print and visual media. All too often, however, the portrayals are superficial and derivative, and are poorly integrated with the city’s history and culture. Not so J. D. Horn’s The King of Bones and Ashes. I loved the sense of dynastic progression, of the increasingly desperate tactics to slow the disappearance of magic, of the witches’ attempt to counteract Katrina’s damage, not to mention the complex system of witchy magic. I also liked that the circularity of the story; instead of having everything laid out clearly, I had to put pieces together in more active reading. It’s not an easy read, but that makes it all the more satisfying. The actual mystery enhances the mysteriousness of the setting and drama.

Great book! I love this author. I'm so happy that he's started a new series. Three different women narrate and after each chapter you learn about a new link that connects them all and the history they share. I enjoyed being wrapped up in their story these past few days. I can't wait for the next in the series!

I enjoy urban fantasy and southern gothic books. I liked the first books of the authors Savannah Witches and series until he went too weird and was hoping that I would find that this was like the beginning of that series or maybe somewhat like Rice's Mayfair Witches series, but I was disappointed. 

We start the book knowing that the witches are losing their power, yet despite that the coven has joined together to try and diver Katrina from totally destroying New Orleans.  The entire coven, from the oldest witch to the youngest little Alice Marin daughter of the leader of the coven.  They are unable to totally divert the storm, despite linking their powers the are too weak to do more than slightly weaken the storm.   After the storm passes over Alice rushes out to save her pet cat/familiar when she is confronted by Babu John (the bogeyman) who attempts to lure her away.  She tells her father who doesn't believe her and later when her oldest brother Luke  commits suicide she insists that Babu John forced him to do it and her father sends her across the country to an asylum where witches who are kept.  At this place they have no access to their magic, very little entertainment and if a patient manages to get released they are discouraged from interacting with the friends that may have made while there. 

After ten years Alice his finally to be released because her beloved grandfather has died and her youngest brother Vincent insists that she comes home.  Vincent is the only Marin child that has no magical ability and has no use for it.  Upon her arrival she is reintroduced to Luke's fiancée Evangeline who is now her father's mistress and her other brother Hugo has turned to drink and drugs to combat his pain.   

Upon meeting Alice again, Evangeline realizes that Alice is not losing her magic, like her she is very strong.  We find out that she is related to three shape-shifter witches who are hundreds of years old and they want her to watch over Alice and help them retrieve an object that has been hidden from the world since they brought it to our shores. 

My favorite character is Lisette, the daughter of Soulange Simeon a powerful probationer of voodoo and the owner of the famous French Quarter Voodoo supply store VéVé.  When her mother and Alice's grandmother Laure tried to do a spell on their own that resulted in killing her mother and rendering Laure insane Lisette has been running the business but no longer believes in the magic of voodoo although she knows her mother's spirit is still with her in the store. 

This book is much darker than his previous series and while this isn't necessarily detrimental I found some of the plot twists very disturbing and I believe that rest of the series will end up being much weirder than the Savannah series.  Although I dislike beginning a series and not reading it in its entirety I don't think I will be following this one. 

I love urban fantasy, southern gothic and really liked the first books of the authors Savannah Witches and series until he went too weird and was hoping that I would find that this was like the beginning of that series or maybe somewhat like Rice's Mayfair Witches series, but I was disappointed. 
We start the book knowing that the witches are losing their power, yet despite that the coven has joined together to try and diver Katrina from totally destroying New Orleans.  The entire coven, from the oldest witch to the youngest little Alice Marin daughter of the leader of the coven.  They are unable to totally divert the storm, despite linking their powers the are too weak to do more than slightly weaken the storm.   After the storm passes over Alice rushes out to save her pet cat/familiar when she is confronted by Babu John (the bogeyman) who attempts to lure her away.  She tells her father who doesn't believe her and later when her oldest brother Luke  commits suicide she insists that Babu John forced him to do it and her father sends her across the country to an asylum where witches who are kept.  At this place they have no access to their magic, very little entertainment and if a patient manages to get released they are discouraged from interacting with the friends that may have made while there. 
After ten years Alice his finally to be released because her beloved grandfather has died and her youngest brother Vincent nsists that she comes home.  Vincent is the only Marin child that has no magical ability and has no use for it.  Upon her arrival she is reintroduced to Luke's fiancée Evangeline who is now her father's mistress and her othr brother who has turned to drink and drugs to combat his pain.   
Upon meeting Alice again, Evangeline realizes that Alice is not losing her magic, like her she is very strong.  We find out that she is related to three shape-shifter witches who are hundreds of years old and they want her to watch over Alice and help them retrieve an object that has been hidden from the world since they brought it to our shores. 
My favorite character is Lisette, the daughter of Soulange Simeon a powerful probationer of voodoo and the owner of the famous French Quarter Voodoo supply store VéVé.  When her mother and and Alice's grandmother Laure tried to do a spell on their own that resulted in killing her mother and rendering Laure insane Lisette has been running the business but no longer believes in the magic of voodoo although she knows her mother's spirit is still with her in the store. 

This book is much darker than his previous series and while this isn't necessarily detrimental I found some of the plot twists very disturbing and I believe that rest of the series will end up being much weirder than the Savannah series.  Although I dislike beginning a series and not reading it in its entirety I don't think I will be following this one. 

2.75/5 STARS:  I received a free digital ARC in exchange for a honest, unbiased review.  I sincerely thank the author and/or publisher for providing an ARC through NetGalley,.**

I got 20% done with this book and still had no idea what was going on and why I should care. Was there a book before it that I missed?

Equal parts authentic and spooky, The King of Bones and Ashes will imprint images of New Orleans' above-ground cemeteries and the colorful people that inhabit the city in your mind long after you have finished this twisting tale.

We follow a coven of witches in a world where magic is dying and the bogeyman is terrifyingly real. But he isn't some mystical being come to haunt you--he's someone everyone knew. It was a brilliant adult twist on the thing that frightens all children at least once in their lives.

Have you ever finished a book and thought, "I loved this book. I mean, I don't even know if I get it all, but I really loved it."? Horn did just that to me. Too late I realized the myriad of characters were organized at the end, but it may not have helped me anyway. They were all related in some fashion, and they all had their own stories to tell in the overall plot. It added to the mystery of the book that I didn't even realize there was something huge to figure out because I was too invested in learning the personal lives of the witches of New Orleans.

It was haunting and beautiful and followed that thin line between enjoyable and engaging with a sprinkling of the horrors that lay dormant in all of us--my personal favorite October reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, J.D. Horn and 47 North for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Magic is waning in the world for unknown reasons, and the witches are panicking. They are resorting to things like harvesting body parts from other dead witches for residual power. Alice has been away from this for several years, having been in a Psych? Hospital for witches. When she was young she witnessed her brothers murder at the hand of Babau Jean, who is like the boogeyman for witches. The book was a lot confusing to me. There were quite a few main characters, all who were intricately involved in the outcome of the book. I found it hard to follow all the different storylines, and I believe this was why the big reveal at the end was such a surprise. It did make sense though. It would be interesting to see how the rest of the series progresses, but I’m not sure I’m up to wading through another twisty plot. 3.5 stars

Beautifully wicked and gothic, reminds me of early works by Clive Barker. Incredibly detailed and lushly written it oozes New Orleans style and legends in between it's magic and engrossing plot.

This story follows three witches of New Orleans as they try to save magic as it is diminishing from the world. It reminded me a bit of Deborah Harkness in the sense of strong female characters, magic, and mystery. I had a little trouble following along as it vacillated between the characters, but the murder and mystery kept me guessing the entire time. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series when they come out.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in return for an honest review.

It’s no secret that New Orleans has more than its fair share of things that go bump in the night, but lately something is happening to the witches that call the Big Easy home. They are losing their magic, and some are taking desperate, and dangerous measures to protect what they see as rightfully theirs. Alice Marin is trying to uncover the truth behind the disappearances of so many magical beings., she believes her family may have a hand in what’s happening. After all, they once had Alice locked away in an asylum.Solving the mystery may be too much for Alice, both mentally and physically as she tries to get beyond her family’s grasp. Those who enjoyed Horn’s Witching Savannah series will love romp through one of the most haunted cities in the world