Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit books for the ARC in exchange for a review! Five out of five stars.

With five different point of views, one might expect there to be some confusion about who’s head we’re in, with characters seeming too similar. Andrea Stewart avoids it beautifully, with a truly interesting mix of first person and third (two and three, perspectives respectively). She lands readers into the new world of bone shard magic easily, without leaving even a casual reader floundering. I can’t wait for this book to come out— and even more, I can’t wait for the sequel!

Each of the characters have their own goals and motivations and the few times we see a certain few interact leave no questions about who‘s head we’re in. Relationships (the f/f one in particular, it always make my heart sing to see the representation) feel realistic and humanely deep.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

I actually have a copy coming after release; I just couldn’t wait to read it. I wanted to love this book more than I did. I really enjoyed it. I liked the main characters for the most part. I didn’t care for the governors daughter or that whole story arc. The couple just got on my nerves. They both wanted stuff from each other, but they stayed distant and didn’t really work on that. I’m glad the daughter grew, but it just felt fake. I really liked Jovis, but I liked him more before he decided to help everyone. Lin was by far my favorite. I’m not sure who she is any more. Or Nisong. Or Sand. Or Emhala. It’s just all a little confusing. I hope there’s more for Bayan. I just wanted more. More answers. More story. Mainly answers. What is Mephi.? Why powers.? How.? Who are the Alanga.? I know nothing. I think the second book will be amazing and most likely answer my questions.

This book was received as an ARC from Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

At first I thought this book was going to be predictable and I would whiz by fast in a breeze. Boy, was I wrong. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, the book takes a complete left hand turn that blew my mind. I had my jaw opened so wide that I was literally drooling for more. The determination and stamina Lin had in proving her father that she is the rightful heir to the throne and is an excellent role model to all young women to never give up and fight for what you believe in.

We will consider adding this title to our Sci-Fi collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This book is something else, wow! It was slow and it took some time to take off, but once you're invested with the characters' journeys and the problems they're individually facing, you'll love it! Plus that ending! Both so satisfying and puzzling!

Full review will be posted soon as part of #BoneShardDaughterPH Blog Tour.

An interesting and solid debut from an author I will definitely keep my eye on in the future! This book had a lot of really fascinating concepts, and while the execution didn't work entirely for me, I still thought it was a good read that went by a lot quicker than I was expecting for a novel of this size. For fans of epic fantasies a la Ken Liu, R.F. Kuang, and Samantha Shannon (specifically THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE).

Lin is the emperor's daughter, but not necessarily his heir. Five years ago, she was struck by a sickness that wiped out her and her foster brother's memories. Now they compete for their father's attention, in order to learn the mysterious bone shard magic that keeps the empire safe—and its people in fear.

Jovis is a smuggler who is seeking a boat with blue sails, which is said to follow in the wake of disappearances all over the empire. Phalue is a governor's daughter who is now, for the first time, asked to reconsider her complacency in the suffering of her own people by her lover, Ranami. And Sand is a mysterious woman with more questions than memories.

These are the various POV characters that appear in THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER, all of which had really interesting points to them. One of the biggest struggles with juggling multiple POVs in the way Stewart did is that some characters often feel superfluous, or boring, but she handled the various narratives deftly until they all (inevitably) began to connect with one another. She has a really good handle on her characters' voices and circumstances, and each of them had interesting motives that drove the book towards its propulsive conclusion.

The magic system was also terrific and unique. Sometimes when books go for the "dark" or "forbidden" magic angle, I always find them a bit lackluster in both the consequences of usage and what the magic actually does. Not so in this novel. It was appropriately and deliciously grim, and a little gross (in the best body horror kind of way).

If you're looking for a series with an epic scope, interesting morally grey-aligned characters, casual queerness, and meticulous plotting—this just might be for you.

There are two things that didn't work for me personally that others might not have issue with. One is the switch between first person and third person throughout—not sure what that was trying to accomplish that sticking to one or the other would not have done just as effectively. Another is that the world itself was a little opaque. Stewart wrote actions scenes fairly well, but I didn't really have a clear sense of place as I was reading. I wish we could have spent a little more time elaborating on the actual aesthetics, structures, and culture that rose up around this this empire and its dark magical roots. Hopefully we'll get more in book 2!

At first, I was not excited to see the multiple POVs - new chapter new POV - but I hoped they eventually collided and wow did they! This book kept me interested from beginning to end and while I had identified most of the twists, a few still snuck up on me. I will say that two of the characters could be removed from the book with no negative impact on the overall narrative; their side plot felt pointless. I will definitely be looking for the next book in the series!

You know those books that steadily pick up steam until all of sudden they careen down a cliff? That's a bit how I felt reading The Bone Shard Daughter. There's these moments of slow world and character building and then around 3/4 of the way in the action reached a frenzy and I ended the book needing more right away. This multiple POV novel sinks into the details of each character and their world. It's a fantastic world of magic with a deadly cost, one that doesn't land fairly, and politics.

Featuring an all POC cast, with a saphic couple, I knew I was going to be intrigued by these characters. And then when the action picked up I was high key obsessed. I personally love multiple POV novels, and while this was a bit slower than I was used to (because there aren't large time jumps between chapters of the same POV), looking back it's clear that there's so much care put into the foundation. That being said, I still have some favorites like Phalue and Lin. We love women who are in power, but also those who have to question the power systems in which they are entrenched.

I have to admit that I completely fell for this cover. When I read what this book was about, I definitely wanted to get my hands on it. The world and characters were interesting, though I had a bit of trouble keeping up with the switching of points of views. I’m personally not a fan of when there are multiple points of views written in first person and it took me a while to get into. Overall it was an interesting story.

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I mean, look at that cover! It’s so gorgeous. Steeped in magic and mystery, The Bone Shard Daughter follows five characters: a potential heir to the throne, a smuggler with a conscience, a governor’s daughter, a rebel, and a person whose memory is returning.

Lin is the daughter of the Emperor although she’s out of favor after having lost all her memories five years prior. She decides to learn his mysterious bone shard magic that acts as the spine of the empire herself. Meanwhile, a smuggler named Jovis has been tracking the people who kidnapped his wife seven years ago; however, he gets roped into saving a child. The governor’s daughter Phalue discovers that her girlfriend, Ranami, has been captured and ransomed. Amidst all this is a narrator named Sand who begins to break out of a mysterious fog around her mind.

I really enjoyed the writing. At first, I was a bit confused with the constant switching of points of view, but each person’s voice eventually became clear and distinct. There were both first-person and third-person narrations, and the transitions between them felt smooth. I will say that a couple of points-of-view felt superfluous, but maybe those characters will become more important in the future.

I loved all of the characters! Each has their own mind and motivation; you’ll find yourself rooting for all of them. Also, there’s a mysterious animal named Melphi who’s a companion to Jovis, and I loved him so much! While there are five narrators, there were really only about three plot lines. Each one was interesting, and it was fascinating to see how they intertwined.

The worldbuilding was incredible; I was sucked in by the magic as well as the setting. The emperor has the power to create things called constructs controlled by bone shards. This was incredibly in-depth and original. I also liked how there were different islands, so everything felt both connected and not; it helped to separate the characters even more.

The Bone Shard Daughter was thrilling and fascinating; I loved the magic system and the characters. It was easy to fall into these characters’ heads. Add The Bone Shard Daughter to your TBR lists and preorder it today!

I would say this is probably a 3.5/5 star rating.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc.
An empire of migrating islands run and maintained by constructed beings powered by bone shards harvested from citizens.
Five points of views: Lin, the daughter of the Emperor; Jovis, a smuggler turned folk hero; Phalue, a governor’s daughter and heir; Ranami, Phalue’s commoner girlfriend and rebel; and Sand, the mystery figure. Lin and Jovis are the main two povs and are written in first person, and the rest are written in third and happen less frequently. Sand the least frequent. All were really easy to tell each other apart.
Most of the conflict comes from the Empire; the emperor’s hold on the islands is loosening and there is injustice and unrest because of it. Lin is trying to secure her place as the heir and how she may steer the empire towards better things, Jovis is roped into becoming a hero, Ranami convinces Phalue to help the rebels, and Sand is not who she seems.
The world itself is lush and well-built. There’s a history of another mystical race that was toppled. I have no complaints other than wondering exactly how that previous race will tie into the series, as well as a question to why the island(s) are sinking, that was never answered in this first book.
The story was intriguing and I liked the characters but I’ve been in a reading slump and it took me awhile to read it. I liked it, certainly, but my slump has made me less interested in arcs lately and that’s more a personal thing than a review upon the book itself, however the book did not cure my slump either.

I was super excited when I received this book for review from Orbit. This has been on my list of most anticipated releases of the year. It did not disappoint.
One of the shining parts of this novel from the beginning is the magic system. The idea of inscribing on bone shards is inventive and leaves a whole world of possibilities with where the story can go. The magic system felt a lot like the magic system used in Foundryside, which I really enjoyed, but I like this overall story a lot better.
One thing I was not expecting but always LOVE in stories is animal sidekicks, and there were a few that I absolutely loved! Our main “animal” companion is Mephi and he stole my heart from the beginning! If you are one of those people who love talking animal companions, then you MUST pick this one up.
I really liked the atmosphere created within this world with the use of the “wet years”. This entire story feels gloomy and dreary and that is a perfect reflection of the weather in this world. I actually curled up during a few thunderstorms and it was the perfect ambiance for the story.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. There were a few times throughout that the pacing slowed down a bit for my personal taste. I also felt like I wanted more from the world. I just wanted to dig a little deeper. I think that this was a solid first book and I am excited to continue on with this series.

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart was one of my most anticipated releases this year and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It has all the elements I love in a solid fantasy novel—morally bankrupt empires and the rebellions against them, characters you feel compelled to follow along their journeys, interesting worldbuilding, and multiple magic systems that are both creepy and cool in turn. Add in a non-white cast, queer characters, and a BIPOC author, and you have a book that has jumped to the forefront of my recommendation list.

The story primarily follows two characters: Lin, the Emperor’s daughter desperate to prove her worth as heir, and Jovis, a smuggler whose plans are drastically altered when disaster strikes. Both of these POVs are in first person, while the three other POVs in the story are presented in third person. For this and other reasons, Lin and Jovis were the two characters I connected with the most. The other POV characters include two women who are in an established relationship with each other, which made my sapphic loving heart happy. Really, the fact that Stewart juggles five points of view in a debut fantasy could have invited disaster, but it read seamlessly; the timing and choice of character focus contributed to my enjoyment of the story.

While the pacing is typical of a first novel in a fantasy trilogy, slower at the beginning as the world is established, at 50% I literally couldn’t stop reading. Full of tension, mystery, espionage, intrigue, cool action scenes, there is much for fantasy readers to love within these pages.

In what is a rarity for me, The Bone Shard Daughter ends in a way that makes me even more excited for the second book than the first. I know I’ve only finished reading the first book a day ago and it’s not even officially published yet, but I can’t wait to have the second book in my hands. If you’re looking for a diverse, intriguing, and overall rock solid start to what promises to be an innovative epic fantasy series, look no further than The Bone Shard Daughter.

THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER is an absolutely wonderful start to what promises to be an epic series. The characters are compelling and original individuals with depth and real humanity (including the magical creatures). The world they inhabit is different than any I’ve immersed myself in before with one of the most interesting and exciting magical systems, with the most potential for expansion and added detail, I’ve discovered in a long time. Nothing in THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER is as it seems nor anyone who they think they are or are supposed to be and discovering it all alongside them was both a joy and an emotional roller coaster. I can’t wait for more.