A FANTASTIC follow up to The Seventh Sun (which I also loved). A dual POV book which so artfully conceals details from the reader and kind of makes you piece the puzzle together. SO GOOD. I love a test/tournament trope and this book seriously delivered. This book is excellent for all high school readers and up.

A great addition to an already exciting series. This books starts right where the first book ended, adding to the tension and danger that the characters were facing. The action was constant, the plot fast paced, the romance was a little awkward at times and the drama was so enticing! There were amazing moments of triumph but also heat breaking tragedies. A fantastical and intricate world with very rich lore, fantastic world building!

This book picks up right where The Seventh Sun left off.

Plot: Mayana and Ahkin are in the Underworld, desperate to get out and reclaim the throne. They must survive several trials with impossible odds. They have to learn to trust each other, the gods, and their abilities to succeed. All with an ominous warning from the mother goddess, Ometeotl. Yemania, who survived the Empress selection ritual due to Ahkin entering the Underworld, has her own challenges she must face. She deals with betrayals and the new Empress, Ahkin’s sister, has made her the new High Healer. She meets and falls in love with an enemy and must keep that secret for fear of the empress learning of their romance. Which is made even harder by her needing to be close to the Empress to figure out what exactly she is up to.

Characters: I don’t know if there was much character growth in this book. In the end, Ahkin and Mayana show a little growth but mostly Ahkin is still overly self-sacrificing. Mayana is still trying to prove herself, whether to herself or simply to break out of the expectations she feels are placed on her. Yemania is still whiny and I spent some time mad at her decision-making.

This storyline is high stress. Yemania’s, I think, is supposed to be a reprieve from the constant life or death situations that Ahkin and Mayana are in. However, Yemania’s situation is also full of narrow escapes from death.

I did listen to the audio of this book. I decided to since I realized that I butchered all of the names of the characters and places in the first book. So I would suggest at the very least looking up how to pronounce them online.

Controversy: I looked at other reviews after reading because my rating is higher than the average rating. I don’t want to spend too much time on others' reviews but I’ll give you a heads up with the issues I found. 

This is not an #ownvoices book. So if you’re looking for that, this is not it. 

This book is loosely based on Aztec/Mayan culture with a little Egyptian culture sprinkled in there. Remember that it is a fictional book. If you are hoping to learn something about either culture, this book is not it.

This is what you get when a sequel is done correctly. It sets up the final book so perfectly that waiting is hard. Book 1 was all about meeting the characters, Now you get to experience the culture and history of the people we are fighting to save. It is heartbreaking that she passed away and we will not get to see any more world that she will develop because this one was outstanding.

I enjoyed this book and the adventure to the underworld, although I found it to be less attention grabbing then the first one. I remember clearly being pulled in by the characters and the world they lived in, while this addition struggled to keep me focused. All in all though, still a great read!

Lani Forbes honestly is such an underrated author. This series is so so so good! I did Maya research during my masters degree and the spin she puts on their culture/history is amazing. Read this book!

I like the alternate viewpoints and storyline with Yemania. I think I need to read the other books however, to better understand the characters.

The Jade Bones was a beautifully written sequel and lived up to its beginnings completely. I loved the developments and relationships, the friendships, banter and the history. I felt it really explored some background story of the place, the events of the past that led to the present day of the story and left me feeling satisfied as a reader that I had all the answers, without being overly complicated.
In all honesty I’ve not been loving YA recently so it’s a huge compliment from me to say how much I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Full review to come on my YouTube channel.

The Jade Bones picks up where The Seventh Sun leaves off and makes this series worthwhile as it expands on the narrative and encourages character growth.

Amazing Characterization
One of the aspects that sets The Jade Bones apart from its predecessor is the way the story develops. Forbes decided to split the narrative between three perspectives, and it worked better than the previous novel.

In The Seventh Sun, Mayana was not wholly relatable. At times she read as a two-dimensional know-it-all because her internal tone did not carry the tension well enough.

Forbes has improved on that. Mayana still likes to act like a know-it-all, but there is a ferocity behind her personality that was not present in the previous novel. Her tone and the challenges, the questions she forces herself to ask, make her relatable, flawed even. Furthermore, there seems to be more growth on her part. Mayana grows through the tension between her and Ahkin, and the underworld trials push the character to her limits making her face her darkest fears.

However, the story is no longer just about Mayana. Again, the story shifts between perspectives and gives Prince Ahkin and Yemenia their time to shine.

Yemenia is a character with minimal self-esteem because her family is abusive. She was not clever enough, thin enough, or athletic enough. So Yemenia was ready to be a sacrifice in the previous novel. However, her journey in this novel is incredible. Yemenia discovers her true worth, promoting the theme of body positivity.

To see her go from meek to fierce is incredible. Yemenia’s whole journey uses her intelligence and ability to heal to wrong the rights of the previous novel. It is just incredible to see her blossom, to see her defend herself, to see her challenge those who would harm her. She no longer cast her eyes to the ground, but now, Yemenia holds her chin up with strength and confidence in her eyes, and it is incredible to see.

For Ahkin, he was a prince betrayed by his twin sister so that she could live the life she has always wanted, a life of freedom. As a result, Ahkin has problems trusting, and his whole world has been turned upside down. This forces him to reconcile that he was wrong and that everything he knew was a lie.

Ahkin is learning that he does not have to do everything by himself. He learns to trust in others and to trust in Mayana.

The story also allows the reader to understand the villains of the plot. Are they right? No, but their actions are understandable, creating compelling tension in the plot.

Good Storytelling
The Jade Bones splits between characters and between the underworld and the overworld (land of the living).

Something big is happening, both in the land of the living and the land of the dead, but it is not predictable. The pieces line up, but the tension keeps the reader from figuring out what exactly is happening.

There is also the fact that Mayana and Ahkin’s journey is reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno. They are traveling through the underworld layers to help the mother goddess and find their way back home. They are faced with their darkest fears, pushed to their limits, and honestly, it was brilliant to see the layers of the underworld brought to life.

Final Thoughts
The Jade Bones is a rush. With a brilliant combination of storytelling and character growth, this is a sequel worthy of reading.

Upon reading it, I realized my impression that this was a duology was wrong and another book will come sometime down the road. That's the bad news. The good news is that this is a seamless transition from the end of the first book, is smooth as glass, and introduces not only a new player, but adds some very interesting twists. Mayana and Ahkin weave a very tortuous way through the underworld, one that is filled with frightful challenge after frightful challenge. Meanwhile on the surface, Yemania has been conscripted for a new role, while meeting a young man she should hate and fear. Instead, her natural goodness and impulse as a skilled healer take over. It's as good a middle book as one could ask for. I just wish I could get my hands on the third one ASAP.

To say that I loved this book is an understandment. The Jade Bones was even better than The Seventh Sun because it laced two storylines beautifully in a way that always made me feel I needed to read more. Each chapter had a cliff hanger, and I loved it! The romance was also intoxicating. I can't wait for what comes next.

This story has been such a terrifying, amazing and heartbreaking journey. The story this time concentrates more on Ahkin, Mayana and Yemania who’s going through a lot of challenges once the sister of Ahkin took his throne and rules the Chicome Empire. The new empress of the Chicome Empire demands Yemania to become the new High Healer, which complicates the things between her and her brother, who’s now kept around to assist her.

The levels of Xibalba who translates literally as the “place of fear” is such a horrible place, the way it was described its for sure a place no one will ever want to go through. The trial they’re going through is harsh, cruel and is testing them in so many ways. I loved that if at first they’ve had a lot of issues trusting each other, towards the end their trust has grown so much, and finally they were sharing the burden together.

This time the book has shown us more and more from Yemania, who has been blooming so amazing through this book. The fact she fell in love with Ochix, one of the feared Miquitz people who are ancient enemies of the Chrome, their relationship is so pure and beautiful and even if Yemania might give the impression she’s fragile, she’s actually very strong and a capable woman. She’s fighting to keep Ochix alive, faces the betrayal of her brother, and even escapes the prison the Empress of Chicome has put her in. For sure my favorite character is Yemania and I can’t wait to read more about what’s yet to come for her and Ochix.

As I’ve mentioned in my previous review, the book definitely has some type of lessons behind it, and the quotes you find through the book really made be like “awwwwwww” and I’ve resonated with them on so many levels. However, towards the ending, my heart got shattered. There’s a moment that somehow I’ve expected it to happen, but when it actually did I wasn’t prepared to make me be very close to crying. The book ended up with a hangcliffer and I can’t wait for the 3rd book to be released so I can get the ending of this amazing journey.

I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3/3.5 stars.

*PLEASE READ OWN VOICES REVIEWS - THIS IS NOT ONE*

I am reviewing this book from the stand point of someone who enjoyed the first book, but as I am not a part of the culture that these books are based on, I cannot speak to any inaccuracies or misrepresentation.

I think this book wasn't quite as good as the first one, the main characters who I found quite interesting and compelling in the first book felt a little washed out in this novel. I did enjoy Yemenia's chapters a lot more, and I enjoyed seeing her character development. I just felt that there was something missing overall from the story, I didn't find myself as in love as I was in the first one.

It does have action, suspense, love and betrayal but I just found that it needed a bit more work on the depth of the characters and their interactions with one another.

While I try not to DNF, I ended up DNFing this book around 10%. While I enjoyed the first book, the main character got on my nerves, and the first 10% did her no favors. I also have reservations about non OV writers writing OV stories, so I've decided to put this aside for now.

I loved the lore and mythology explored in this book! There's plenty of action, adventure, romance and danger. I enjoyed the world building of book 1 The Seventh Sun but book 2 The Jade Bones takes it to a whole new level as two of the characters journey through the underworld and two others top side embark on a forbidden love

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley.

In this sequel to The Seventh Sun, we follow two diverging plot lines that follow the in the first book. Both plots were interesting but I found that Yemania’s was the far superior story.

Yemania’s only ability is healing but she has a lot of courage and her plot line was filled with emotion, betrayal, court intrigue, and romance. Her love interest, Ochix was so charming and I would absolutely read an entire book just about their romance/ adventures.

While Mayana and Ahkins seemed overpowered in contrast to Yemania. It never felt like the characters were in any real danger because the goddess would randomly pop in and save them, or the magical healing dog would make everything better. Even the prophecies were basically useless since it was obvious that the characters would both come out fine. The plot points in their underworld adventure and happened so fast that we were never given the chance to really soak in the impact, thus it felt kind of flat and bland.

The plot lines were so different, it almost felt like I was reading two different books. The reveals in Yemanias storyline were actually shocking while I predicted every twist and turn within Mayana and Ahkins.

The descriptions throughout the book were lush and I feel this one to be superior to the first book. I do wish that the Princess characters introduced in The Seventh Sun made an appearance. They were all so diverse and interesting and it feels like a waste that they’re just not in the story anymore.

To me The Jade Bones had very middle book vibes, as in there was no real climax just a journey the entire time (at least on Mayanas side). I’m excited to see how the series brings all the characters together in the final book and hope that Yemania and Ochix just get to be happy.

<i>"Having a sensitive heart doesn’t mean you’re weak. It takes more strength to care than it does to not care.”</i>
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My Rating : 🌟🌟🌟 [3/5]
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The Jade Bones is the sequel to The Seventh Sun and follows our main characters, Mayana who has to make a difficult choice at the end, Prince Ahkin who has to learn to trust someone other than himself, Yemania who has to learn the difference between need and want, and Ochix who has to make sure wrath doesn't come down to destroy them all. It's a story about learning to adapt, trusting your enemies and a journey to overcome your known life for an unknown.
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First, I really liked the pov of Yemania and seeing her grow as a character gave me so much satisfaction. Ochix was a sweetheart diguised as a morally gray character, (but seriously he was a cinnamon roll). They were the chapters I was really looking forward to reading and they did not disappoint. The other characters and the way this plot was taken was something I expected but didn't expect at the same time.
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Coming to the plot and character development, I think there were certain things that made me really happy and scenes that made me smack my head for it's stubbornness. To be honest, I almost DNF'd the book twice within the first half of the book. But my curiosity won me over and I continued reading it. Mayana and Ahkin weren't utilized to their full character extent and I didn't really care for their adventure in the underworld? I don't know why, but it felt forced and the development was okay. Meanwhile, I really liked how Yemania grew as a character, and then she had to go have an instant connection with the enemy. I really didn't like that character development for the Healer. Coatl and Metzi has my absolute hate and I really can't wait how the story ends after that particular cliffhanger!! (Although that dramatic entry after a never ending gruesome adventure was funny to read about! ).

Thank you Netgalley and Favourite Pages Club for the gifted review copy, which lets me give you my unbiased opinion.
Kindle/ Netgalley/ March2021
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•{Favourite Quotes}•
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<i> "Sometimes there are moments that define a human for the rest of their lives,” she continued thoughtfully. “This was one such moment for you. You took the loss of those lives onto your shoulders, blamed yourself for not being able to save them." </i>
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<i> "What is the point of life, then, if how we die is all that matters? To me, that cheapens life more than it respects death. And wouldn’t you be trying to control your own fate by controlling how you die, the way we control how we live with the rituals?" </i>
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<i> "We respect death and honor it, yes, but that does not mean we do not also value life." </i>
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<i> "His mistakes, his inability to handle his responsibilities. Everything came back to him. His shoulders that hadn’t been strong enough to hold the burden of his birthright. The shame burned far worse than the flame of any fire ." </i>
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<i> "Sometimes your greatest fears dissolve when you’re called on to save someone you love." </i>
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<i> "The world is a terrifying place. Cruel. Unforgiving. But I was a great emperor because I learned I did not have to do it alone. I had a council of those I trusted. Advisors and delegates to help me make those decisions. You should know that yourself as a soldier. You can face the fiercest battles not because you aren’t afraid, but because your brothers are by your side. They give you the courage to charge. But more than that, I felt whole in myself because I had found my true duality, and we ruled the empire together." </i>

Picking up right where the first book left off, we find Mayana and Ahkin traveling through the underworld. They are going to have to rely on one another if they're going to make it through, and along their journey, they become closer, discovering the wrongs of their world and how they can make things better. I love the two of them and I really enjoyed watching them work together and grow through their trials in the underworld.

Back in the real world, Yemania gets to tell her story and I actually really enjoyed getting inside her head and watching her story with Ochix unfold. Yemania was a little annoying to me in the first book, but she was definitely a lot more likable in this sequel. Yemania working her way through the changed politics in the face of Ahkin's sacrifice was interesting and I liked getting that side of the story.

I can't wait to see how things will turn out in the third book with Ahkin and Mayana's return and the news that the ritual and sacrifice their society has been built on isn't what the gods want from them. This series is so grand and I love the Mayan/Aztec culture portrayed here, and all the grand characters, as well as the politics between the different peoples.

If you are looking for a great read don't hesitate buy this book hands down amazing. It will keep you hanging onto every word and begging for more!

Four young people risk their lives to save the world from a looming apocalypse in this captivating sequel to The Seventh Sun.

Cast into the underworld after an act of shattering betrayal, Mayana and Ahkin must overcome unimaginable odds if they are to return home and reclaim the throne of the Chicome. A river of blood and demons disguised as children are only two of the challenges standing in their way. Fortunately, they are not unequipped. Mayana’s royal blood controls the power of water, and Prince Ahkin wields the power of the sun itself. Ometeotl, the Mother goddess, provides them with other gifts—and an ominous warning that one of them may not survive. But can the goddess be trusted?

Back in the lands above, Mayana’s best friend, Yemania, has survived the empress selection ritual—but her next challenge may be more than she can bear. The new empress of the Chicome Empire demands she become High Healer. Yemania has no interest in serving in the palace; she wants to use her healing ability to help the common people. More than that, her heart is no longer her own. She has met an enchanting stranger—Ochix, one of the feared Miquitz people who are ancient enemies of the Chicome.

As Mayana and Ahkin move ever closer to confronting the lords of the dead, Yemania and Ochix must hide their forbidden romance or face the wrath of both their empires. Meanwhile, the new empress has made a dangerous alliance that might destroy everything they hold dear.

Based on ancient Mesoamerican legends and mythology, The Jade Bones is a compelling and romantic adventure that builds to a heart-stopping climax.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone publishing for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! I thoroughly enjoyed The Jade Bones more than The Seventh Sun! I felt like I got to know the characters better and the settings were more intriguing as well as the storylines. I enjoyed following Mayana and Ahkin's story in the underworld along with Yemania's story with Ochix! There was so much adventure and exciting things happening in this book! I had this complaint about the first book but I would've loved more of the Mesoamerican myths and legends as well as more descriptive details on everything!