This was great on relationship dynamics and description of magic, but I felt like the story was lacking in world building as well as the court intrigue aspects that seem to be at least half the story (the wars and allies, court politics and whatnot were super confusing to me!). The book was action packed which was nice even if I did not always understand the whys behind what was occurring. I need like a cheat sheet to show the alliances of the many different kingdoms and the classes of magic users to help me make sense of everything because I struggled a little which made it hard to stay engaged in the story. I think this was an interesting and unique concept, there just was a LOT going on in the book for me to be really invested. The ending was a cliffhanger with lots of unanswered questions so be prepared to need at least a sequel in the future to find out the fate of the heroes.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher (Entangled) for providing me with an e-arc of this book. My opinions are my own.

I've fallen a bit behind on the books I've been given a chance to read through Netgalley, and so didn't get to reading Crown of Bones until now. But I've been missing out on this enthralling, action packed YA fantasy book! I loved it from the beginning and just couldn't stop reading.
I'm not going to spoil the ending but HOW am I supposed to wait for book 2?!

We meet Marcus, the heir of the land of Baiseen. He is supposed to protect his country by raising a warrior Phantom, but has trouble doing just that. When he finally manages to raise his phantom and keep him steady, he can finally set off to the island of Aku, where the people who can raise phantoms are trained, called savants. Together with 4 companions he needs to hurry to arrive on Aku in time. Among this group is Ash, his best friend and a non-savant, who is to record all their adventures and Marcus' progress as he trains with his Phantom. She may not be able to raise a Phantom, but she's smart and has always had his back.

Along the way they meet Kaylin, a handsome young sailor, who may or may not be who he says he is. But for now, they'll have to trust their guide or take their chances in enemy land.

I loved this book so much! It captivated me from start to finish. I loved the writing style, I loved the banter between Ash and Kaylin. I loved the phantoms and the interaction with their savants. I loved how the reader gets snippets to understand the underlying story, and I love how much more there is yet to come. I cannot wait for book 2!

If your searching for a fresh, original adventure story, look no further!

Thank you to Netgalley and PenguinTeen for the e-arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly this book wasn't for me. I will say the first couple of pages had me hooked but then it felt flat. I didn't lose myself in this world or even liked any of the characters.

Alright, I really want to be able to summon a phantom after reading Crown of Bones by A.K. Wilder! I love books that have a unique cast of characters and how they all contribute to the plot of a book in different ways! The magic system is what really pulled me into this action-packed adventure where the main characters go off to a distant land and train how to use their abilities!

Crown of Bones is the first book in the new fantasy series by A.K. Wilder that revolves around Marcus, a green-robe savant, Ash, a non-savant (?), Kaylin, the mysterious guide and other group of friends and their journey to The Sacred Isle of Aku - an island realm where all initiate savants go to for training and advancement.
As the initiation trials begin, Marcus raises his warrior phantom, De'ral. He receives a warning and tells Ash about it. They decide to go on the journey to Aku together and this is where things start to get interesting.
We meet more characters on this journey which is fun to read about because they don't all get along. They are all hoping to save their world and stop the next Great Dying and yet they are all young. Throughout the story, it's nice to see them all grow and come into themselves and their unique abilities.

The world of Crown of Bones is huge - the story doesn’t just revolve in one simple plot as every single aspect has a history. A.K. Wilder thought every single detail that came to this book and the world she created is very intricate. The fantasy world on the continent of Amassia, populated by savants (humans who have phantoms) and non-savants (humans who do not have phantoms), along with pirates and Mar. The magic system reminds me of an anime I used to watch, Fate/Stay Night by Kadokawa Shoten, an anime that derived from a Japanese visual novel game with the whole savant concept. While in Fate/Stay Night each master has a servant they call upon to battle. In this story it is called phantoms.

Crown of Bones was written in multiple POVs of Marcus, Ash, Kaylin and Salila and while I love stories written in multiple POV’s, it wasn’t the case here. I didn’t find what I was looking for which was the distinction between each of the characters’ personalities as they all felt very similar. The characters didn’t grow on me much either as I am not a big fan of insta love. Though the characters have a good potential to becoming something more the execution didn't fair well as some of the characters have the same tone and felt unrealistic.

It took me forever to finish this but overall an interesting read full of action, magic and adventure although I am still uncertain if I would want to read the sequel.

This was... weird. I don't know what else to say. Or how else to describe what I felt. The book had a great and unique premise, but it just didn't work for me. I was bored. I was on chapter three, I think, and all I wanted was for it to end. I kept checking how many more pages I have left to read.

Crown of Bones (Book 1, Amassia series) – A.K. Wilder



I received a copy of this book from the publisher in order to provide an honest review.



A.K. Wilder is an American author who now resides in the great land down under – Australia. She is a talented person who holds multiple degrees and has many hobbies and talents, writing mainly fantasy stories that have a scientific / paranormal twist to them.





In the world of Amassia, many of the people have magic and can raise beings known as Phantoms. These magic wielders are called Savants, who undergo many years of special training in a place called Aku. The levels or degree of mastery is denoted by the colour of the Savant’s robes starting from Blue and working all the way up to Red – the ultimate level.

Ash was a child that showed promise of one day possessing and wielding a Phantom, yet as she grew it became clear that would never be. She then accepted a life of a Non-Savant and become a recorder – or a record keeper for none other than the future Heir to the Magistrate of Baiseen – Marcus Adicio.

Marcus also happens to be Ash’s best friend and green robe, with a Phantom that he struggles to form and wield.

Their perilous tale begins when she accompanies him on his initiation journey to Aku, where he will begin his training for his Yellow robes. Yet, this journey is fraught with more dangers than any of them could have predicted or bargained for. However, they do pick one mysterious travel companion on the way – a young man by the name of Kaylin.

Kaylin, though as young as they are, has more skills in fighting and what seems to be all the knowledge of any type of waterway the come across in their journey. But there are secrets Kaylin is keeping from them, secrets that pertain to legends that have been kept from them.

However, Kaylin isn’t the only one who has been keeping secrets. The people who have cared and trained Ash since she was a child have been keeping a terrible secret from her, one that can change everything.



“Crown of Bones” is a young adult fantasy novel with funky and uncommon concepts to the plot. What would make this story relatable and engaging to teens and young adults are the characters and the way the author has written them – a young girl who has been looked down upon for who she is with a male best friend who has always stood by and defended her. Then along comes a mysterious male who protects her and respects her for who she is. A pleasing read with a nice little twist at the end.

This book had so much potential. It was just agonizingly slow. I hated to DNF it, but after I got to chapter 50, I couldn't go on.

The concept of phantoms is simply fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the world building, because it was so different from anything else I've read.

I feel like the stakes were meant to feel high, but they sort of fell flat for me. The "action" and struggle of making it to their destination dragged on so long, I feel that should have been a book on it's own. But even after they got there, there was more to the plot! Honestly it was a bit overwhelming.

I think that was my biggest issue, the fact that there was just so much packed into this that I couldn't digest it all.

I absolutely loved the characters, though. And the romance that was brewing- ugh! I really wanted to see where that would go, but as I said before, I just couldn't go on. 3.25 stars.

This book was so amazing!

A really refreshing story that was just what I needed!
I absolutely reccommend

Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect to the story. I didn't dislike it, but the plot and characters didn't draw me in.

I enjoyed this book SO much! It was a fast-paced, fresh fantasy with engaging characters and a fantastic magic and world system!

If I’d had more time I could have read this book in just a few days but sadly life has a way of getting between my reading time. As it was, every time I sat down to read this book I was pulled in!

The author did an incredible job of balancing every point of video and crafting the plot in such a way that the pacing was perfect. There were no dull moments and just when you thought you knew what was going to happen, she threw in something else in a way that only furthered the goals.

I also really enjoyed the relationships (Kaylin is topping my list of favorite characters ever!) of the characters and their abilities regarding their phantoms. It is such a fun and unique idea that added so much to the story. I also loved the Mar people and can’t wait to read more about them.

I cannot wait to read what comes next in this series! I highly recommend it to lovers of YA fantasy who enjoy action, adventure, and light romance.

My rating: 5*


Thanks to the publisher for this copy - all opinions are my own!

This was definitely a fresh story and I felt connected to the characters instantly. The world building can be quiet overwhelming and I found myself having to reread some pages a few times.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. I was first drawn to this book because I had noticed it had received many positive ratings and reviews.

Crown of Bones was a unique and refreshing read. It is a YA fantasy/adventure series. I felt like I had entered into a world of fantasy and wonder. It has been a while since I have found a book that I was fully immersed in and a story that I could truly appreciate the creativity and in-depth thought given to the characters, setting and plot. This book was more of a slow burn read and laid the ground work for the series, however the premise and build up in this first book has the beginning buds to a possibly epic series. There is a sense of excitement and mystery to the world. The setting was well developed breaking down the world, Amassia, into nine realms, each with a leader and High Savant. Wilder has included a few elaborate tropes such as a mythical race of people, unknowns about Phantoms, Savants and the robe system, the mystery behind the Crown of Bones, civil unrest in the kingdoms, and the Great Dying but has not delved into any of these concepts in-depth, which has left quite a lot of unknowns and a sense of wonderment for how these topics will be addressed. Wilder definitely took the time to give the reader a new experience, considering there are a lot of series in the fantasy genre, I felt this series has the potential to stand out among some of the greats if Wilder executes the sequels in a more complex, dark, raw and imaginative way.

Crown of Bones follows two main characters; Ash and Marcus. Ash is a scribe and a non-savant, while Marcus is a Prince and has an extremely powerful warrior Phantom. We have not learned too much about Ash and I feel that she is lacking in direction as a character. She still feels like a blank slate. We did not learn too much about where Ash comes from, her parentage or why the High Savant took her in, at least not until the very end of the book. Although, Ash is a rule follow she has started to branch out of her comfort zone, however I do not feel we have met the true genuine Ash, which leaves a lot of room for Wilder to really develop her as a character in the next books. Marcus seems to be the typical trope of a Prince that is trying to appease his father and be worthy of the throne. Marcus is more developed in the series than Ash is so far, but he has not undergone a big character transformation and as it stands Marcus is still not ready to lead, not quite yet. The characters so far seem fairly basic, yet Wilder has set up the end of the book nicely to see these characters take on big challenges and move forward in their development individually. In this first book we have been given a lot of time to understand each character and a little bit about why they are who they are. In the next installment it will be time to see them rise above their station and circumstances to reclaim what is rightfully theirs and we should get to see the progression as to how they choose what route to take next.

The idea of the soul living outside of the body has been explored and slightly overused in series, and few have succeeded in bringing a new take forward. The Golden Compass series has achieved this concept with flying colours, however I was intrigued with the concept of the Phantoms and how each Phantom belonged in a certain class type; healer, warrior, alter, ouster and caller. It is not confirmed that the Phantoms are the Savant's soul, in fact we haven't learnt too much about Phantoms yet, but Wilder has left this to be a more explored topic going forward in the next books.

Wilder ended the book on a very interesting and intense cliffhanger. There was a lot happening in this book and I do hope the next one will answer some questions that have been left unresolved and quite frankly barely touched upon. I have a lot of faith that the next installment will be riddled with exhilarating action, big plot twists and epic revelations. This series has the potential to stand next to some big series like the Golden Compass, Miss Peregrines or perhaps Harry Potter, if Wilder is able to step up to the challenge. I would encourage readers to give this series a chance and be optimist about what Wilder will deliver next.

4.5 stars. The author does an awesome job of developing an original magic system which makes a lot of sense. The main characters are all likable, and there are several relationships dynamics which were really well developed and fleshed out. Taking 1/2 star off because 1) I felt like most of the book was straight up action and it could have used a little more downtime to get to see the characters in a more relaxed setting, not when there’s an emergency, and 2) there are too many unanswered questions. I’m sure they’ll be answered in the next book, but none of my questions were answered and I feel like at least some of the threads should’ve been taken care of. Really looking forward to the next book.

Leaving reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Synopsis

The story said from four points of view. A young heir destined to raise the most powerful phantom in all of Baissen. A young non-savant and a friend of the heir who has a hidden power in her that no one knows about. A handsome sailor with many secrets who will guide them all to safety. And a mysterious Mar who’s stealing children into the sea.

Marcus and his group of friends are heading to the hidden land of Akku to receive training of controlling his phantom of the strongest savants. They meet a lot of obstacles on their way and that’s how they meet Kaylin. He saves their lives and guides them safely to Akku. However, he doesn’t do it from the goodness of his heart. He starts to have feelings for Ash, a young non-savant girl and a friend of Marcus. When they finally get to Akku, they have no idea that danger is coming their way.

Book Review

To be honest I read all this book just for Ash and Kaitlyn. Marcus’ part of the story was kind of boring. As you can expect from a prince, he’s very selfish and arrogant but not in a fascinating way. His only worry is if he will get on time to Akku, even if it means that it will hurt his crew on the way. He’s a close friend with Ash for years but I think feels more than that. When she starts getting closer with Kailyn, he gets jealous, but he calls it being protective of Ash. From the time they met, Kaitlyn’s only goal was to keep Ash safe. Moreover, he saved their lives more than once, so I think it’s time to change the attitude.

Besides Ash, Kaitlyn, and Marcus, none of the characters were standing out. They were there but they didn’t try to get your attention. They were not important for the story. They are kind of characters that you forget the names of right after you finish reading the book. I remember that their names started with P and B but that’s all I remember.

My favorite character in this book was Ash. She’s the only non-magical person in the group but it doesn’t bother her. She’s strong, smart, and very brave. She has values that she doesn’t break even if it can cost her much. She never leaves anyone behind and fights however she can. She’s the smartest person in the whole group, so this is already a big achievement. What’s also fascinating about her is the power that is inside her. From the beginning of the book, I felt that she can still surprise us with her power and I wasn’t wrong. This is the moment that pushes me to read the second book.

Another part of this book that makes me want to read book two is the relationship between Kailyn and Ash. They are so adorable. From the time they met to the last page of the book, you can feel the chemistry between them. I’ve read a lot of books with the character falling in love with each other at first sight but in this book, it was so beautifully represented. Especially for Kailyn who broke all the roles just to keep Ash safe. He didn’t care what will happen to him after. He just wanted to make sure nothing happened to her. Even before they started getting close, he was protecting her.

The world-building in this book is quite complicated. Few things were confusing for me but maybe it’s also because I had an issue focusing on this book at the beginning, so I missed some things. However, I enjoyed very much the connection of the main story with the side story of a Mer. I was wondering where this side story will lead us and when the time of reveal came, I was enjoying it a lot. It made the story much more interesting than it was before. Overall, I thought I will get more involved in this book and I will enjoy it more, but it didn’t happen. If not Ash and Kailyn, I’m not sure if I would finish reading it that fast. However, I think the second book will be based more on Ash so hopefully, it will be better than this one.

I would like to thank NetGalley, A.K. Wilder, and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! I enjoyed it very much and I hope to read the next book soon!

The only thing that is bad about the summary is that it's not much to draw people into this amazing story. It does a great job of not giving anything away but there is a lot to this book and I really hope that people will pick it up. It starts off right away with Ash explaining her journey and a certain finding for Master Brogal. The reason why I bring this up is because it really sets up the novel with secrets that aren't being exposed but have some meaning. Then it goes to Marcus who is having bringing up his phantom (spirits on the owner who can manifest and fight). Since he is the chosen heir of their region, he must be able to control his phantom in order to rightfully take the place. This whole world should be complicated but it is written in such a way that I never really felt lost. The beginning does a great job explaining the importance of Marcus being able to rise his phantom and what it means for Ash to be a non-savant. I could probably take more than enough time to explain how much I enjoyed this entire journey, from Baiseen to Aku then back to Baiseen again. I felt like I experienced every tense moment with the characters themselves. The pacing of this book was so good and I'm so glad that Wilder covered as much as she did in this book. She could have easily shorten it to extend the series but I think that would have hindered the success of this book. At the same time, she didn't spend too much time on one certain event but rather flowed them together seamlessly. The "twist" at the end wasn't really a surprise to me as there was so much foreshadowing but I loved the way it was revealed.

Each character was honestly amazing in this book. I freaking love Ash so much. She is smart, funny, and just such a well written character. Her inner dialogue really shows how much personality she has. I'm so glad that we got her point of view or I don't think her story would have come off the same. Since she doesn't have a phantom to raise, she is considered a non-savant which puts her in a lower class. But her personality and her commitment to becoming the best recorder really makes her special. Marcus' character was great in his own as well. The one thing I really liked about his character was his inability to sometimes hide that he was the Heir to Baiseen. Honestly, it made his character so much more realistic. As someone who grew up and bred this way, it would be hard to turn off in a moments notice - especially during important times. I really liked this approach to his character even though I wanted to yell at him to stop talking sometimes (just as Ash does). But I really enjoyed his internal struggle with his phantom and how he isn't invincible either. This team goes through a lot during this trip and they don't just mordaciously recover the next day. The struggle and it makes their triumphs way more enjoyable. Then there is Kailyn. Oh my what a mysterious character he is but I absolutely love him. The way that their stories are twined together really makes this story special. I really grew to care for each of these characters throughout their journey and I cannot wait until the next book!

Final Thoughts

Overall, Crown of Bones by A.K. Wilder is a fantastic fantasy read that I would absolutely recommend. I was enthralled by this magic system and the journey our characters had to go through. The story flowed almost flawlessly with so much happening but never feeling overwhelming. Our characters journey was not an easy one but this is just the beginning. I absolutely adore these characters and after going through this first book with them, I have connected to them all. Each were written so well and I love how they all interact with each other. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is a fantasy fan, or anyone who wants a great story. There is so much more to this book than the summary gives and this journey is definitely one to be discovered.

I loved this book and I can't wait to read another book from this author in the future. The only thing I didn't like was the first person point of view.

This book actually took me by surprise. YA books have been a bit of a let down for me recently so I went into this book thinking, “Sigh, I wish I was reading an adult fantasy.” Boy was I glad to be proven wrong! I freaking LOVED this book! The only reason it’s not 5 stars is because I don’t know yet if I will re-read it. BUT I do and have already recommended this book to numerous people. It is seriously SO unique!

I don’t even know where to start. The loveable characters, the world building, the magic, the plot?! I want to gush about it all!

I guess we will go in that order! Ha! Characters. Ash. I LOVE her! It’s been awhile since I’ve loved a heroine this much. She actually made me laugh out loud. Y’all, I am an emotional person IRL, but when I read, I’m just not. I get excited, but I don’t really laugh or cry or anything. This one made me laugh and have readers anxiety. Ash is hilarious. She’s just a regular girl. She’s neither, “oooh I’m so clumsy but so cute but don’t know it” or “I’m a freaking boss and a mary sue”. Ya know? She just goes about her day. She’s determined to do a good job, on well, her job. And she just wants to be a good person. I can’t say enough good things about her. And the others! Marcus! He was a treat as well. Not as good as Kaylin, but I’m getting to him. Marcus… I felt bad for him most of the time honestly. He tried so hard to do all the right things and just couldn’t quite get there. He’s the cinnamon roll of the book. Okay, KAYLIN! Swoon! I don’t even mind the insta-attraction. Because it wasn’t insta-love. He is the dark and mysterious and playful and powerful man of the book. I leeeerve him. Book boyfriend material right there. Samson, Piper, and Belair get honorable mentions as great side characters to help build up the MCs.

Told you I was going to gush. I have a lot to say!

World building! Wilder does a fantastic job weaving her own take on magic and a fantasy land together in this great mix! She introduces the reader to history, current political events, and some future prophecies as well. She honestly could write so much in this world! More more more!!!

Magic. It’s so bleeping cool y’all!!! The magic users are the elite of society. They can call up “Phantoms” and those Phantoms represent their magic. There are a few different types, like warrior, healing, callers, alters, and a few more! And each phantom can look differently depending on the user. Some people have wicked sweet animals, some have stuff like trees, and some have shapeless magical mist blob thingys. It’s all very unique! And I liked the rules. It doesn’t take anything out of the user to “call up” their phantom, but it does take it out on them when they use their phantom.

The plot then I swear I’m done. Ash accompanies Marcus on his journey to go the “magic” school on an Island that is neutral to politics. (Boy, wish I could live there.) Along the way they get into every single trouble you can think of. Good thing they have a healer with them. (She needs a pay raise. She is overworked.) Their troubles don’t end there. It is just one bad luck thing after another. It makes it way more exciting.

Loved the ending and I can’t wait for book 2!!!

I have never been more impressed or inspired by such a well written fantasy novel than A K. Wilder's Crown of Bones.

This book follows the journey of Marcus Adicio, a savant and Heir of Baiseen, and his friend Ash, a recorder and non-savant and his friend Belaire, another savant to the island of Aku, an island home to the savant school, where he will train to control his powerful phantom. What he doesn't depend on is running into a swashbuckler named Kaylin, with a spotted past and a hidden mystery, that will turn his journey into one sweeping adventure.

This book had everything that I expect in an awesome action packed adventure. The cohesion of the characters, their development, their inner banter inside their minds is so realistic and funny and just a joy to read; you really feel like you're in the character's minds and experiencing what they're seeing. I personally loved Ash's perspective and her inner dialogue with her inner voice. I could relate a lot to her and I love that in characters where they become relatable and you care about what happens to them. I did take issue with her attraction to Kaylin. I neither liked or trusted him, he just screamed of trouble and hidden secrets. His presence was too convenient when you first meet him and the tone of voice he carries is annoying. Personally, i wouldn't have become buddy buddy with him. I was with Marcus on his suspicion of Kaylin and not immediately trusting him. I don't trust overly helpful characters as part of my own personality. I couldn't find anything to like about him and even reading from his perspective, I couldn't understand his motives as to liking Ash.

That was my only real issue with the book but the rest, mainly the world building and getting to know what each individual phantom does, the different classes and types, the robe levels and the whole school training scenes (I would've liked more time in the school to get that academia vibe a little bit too) were great to read. Admittedly the first 30% took some time getting into but after that, when you get acquainted with the world and it's characters, the pacing gets better and more immersive. Marcus, Belaire and Ash are a rag tag trio I'd love to travel with. Simon and Piper as well are great additions and moderators when the tension gets high.

Overall, I don't regret picking up this book. A great read, can't wait for the next two books and where the journey will take off to next.

Almost a year ago, I saw the cover for A.K. Wilder’s Crown of Bones. The cover is beyond amazing and piqued my interest. I read a deleted scene on the author’s website and had to know what a phantom was and what it actually meant to raise your phantom. When it came time to read the book, I forgot to read the blurb and thus had no idea what I was in for.

Crown of Bones is definitely an adventure. A.K. did an incredible job of world-building. She’s created this fantasy world on the continent of Amassia, populated by savants (humans who have phantoms) and non-savants (humans who do not have phantoms), along with pirates and Mar. Luckily, her website has a section to help you pronounce names and the back of the book has a character and location glossary.

Seventeen-year-old Marcus Adicio is Heir to the Throne of Baiseen. He is a savant who possesses a warrior phantom. Unfortunately, for the better part of nine years, he has had trouble raising and holding his phantom to form. Thankfully, he is able to finally do both, just in time to be able to travel the Sacred Isle of Aku in order to receive the training he needs for his warrior phantom and to go from a green to a yellow-robed savant. Accompanying Marcus on his trip is his best friend Ash, a non-savant who will record the trip and Marcus’s experience on Aku for the records, as well as friends Samsen and Piper who are yellow and orange robes respectively. A surprise addition to the trip is Belair Duquan, a green robe initiate from Tangeen.

The group should have an easy trip from Baiseen to the Isle of Aku via horse and ship. However, the group soon finds out nothing about this trip is easy. Attacks come from friends and foes and the group must band together like never before in order to survive. You will be transported into the pages of Crown of Bones with A.K.’s vivid descriptions. There were definitely times where she had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, wondering what was going to happen next. She also had me reaching for a tissue a time or two. This is an action-packed story filled with mystery, suspense, friendship, and a budding romance.

Crown of Bones was amazing in and of itself. It’s written as the first book in the Amassia series. Unlike other books in this genre, the story doesn’t necessarily end in a cliffhanger. The ending is surprising with a wow factor. You will be left with some questions, but you won’t want to throw your e-reader or book across the room. I loved all the characters. I especially loved the maturity and courage Marcus shown, as well as the courage and determination of Ash. I truly hope there is another book.

~ Favorite Quotes ~
“We cannot fight who we are--who we are meant to be.”

“Don’t speak another word about failure or compare yourself to anyone else. Talk only about what you will achieve.”

“Have a little faith.”