I did not get to this one within the time window of giving a good review and I apologize. I know it has been out for a while now.

Although Bracken is an excellent author, I went into this book with trepidation. There are many retellings of the Arthurian legends and I didn't want to hope. This book was refreshing because it was a continuation rather than a retelling. While hunting down the father-like figure who seemingly abandoned her and her brother several years prior to get an artifact that he may have had, Tamsin finds herself transported to a hidden realm that turns out to be Camelot. Although none of the twists/reveals were shocking, this book kept me trying to guess what would happen next.

I love an Arthurian tale. This is a darker fantasy about a girl, Tamsin, who must find an Arthurian ring to save her brother. Slow-burn enemies to lovers romance included.

I'm not super sure how I feel about this one. The writing and pacing was great, no problems there. I don't like Arthurian tales very much so that aspect I wasn't so keen on, personal preference if you like tales of Avalon you'll love this. The rivals to lovers romance that seemed to be brewing and the banter between those characters was amazing. I adore when its obvious that the guy is head over heels for the heroine to everyone EXCEPT the heroine. But then I don't like the note this romance ended on in this book. It makes me want to read more in the series though. I also just didn't like how this ended as a story which both makes me want to continue and not.

Overall, I'm very torn.

I am usually a big fan of Arthurian retellings but I somehow could not get as engaged with this one. I like the idea it starts modern and progresses to Arthurian Avalon. It was a bit slow for me and I had difficulties staying engaged. DNF at 40%.

My favorite kind of retellings are ones about Arthurian Legend so I was super excited to read this book and add it to my new favorites. It's not at all what I expected and it was difficult for me to get through the first chapters, I kept pushing along to see if it got better and in my opinion it did not. I was really disappointed and DNFed it.

It is such a great take on a classic tale. This author is one of my favorites and automatic buys because I have not come across a book she has not written well.

I love a good Arthurian retelling so I had high hopes for this one! I throughly enjoyed the way bracken tackled the retelling, while putting her own unique spin on it!

I really enjoyed Alexandra Bracken’s Lore and was excited to read Silver in the Bone. Unfortunately, I did not love this one as much. The story was more difficult to follow and wish it was more well-developed. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for this arc!

What I Liked:
Silver in the Bone is a story inspired by Arthurian Legend that starts in the modern world but soon travels to Avalalon. Silver in the Bone is way darker, bloodier, and creepier than expected. Avalon has been corrupted by dark, mysterious zombie-like creatures, which makes for a horror-type story that turned me off. I was not a fan of that at all, and the gruesome death scenes were also a big turn-off.
Final Verdict:
Silver in the Bone starts with an introduction to a fantastic world where humans have magic, except for Tasmin, tell she does. Parts of the story dragged but then picked up when we entered Avalon. I was surprised by the twists and violence in the last half of the book. I was not a massive fan of some of the parts of this story; I am intrigued enough by the ending and left with questions to want to check out the rest of the series.

Unfortunately, "Silver in the Bone" was not the best fit for me. This is the first book I've picked up that was written by Alexandra Bracken. I was genuinely excited to read it because of the Arthurian legend mentioned in the synopsis, however, as I started reading into the first few chapters, I found the pace to be slow and lagging. I had difficulties getting into the story and being investing in the characters. I tried to pick it up twice, but unfortunately had to come to a decision to DNF.

Huge thank you to Random House Children's for the opportunity to read and review this one!!

Synopsis:
"Born without a trace of magic, Tamsin Lark is no match for the sorceresses and Hollowers who populate the magical underground of Boston. But when the only parent she’s ever known disappears without so much as a goodbye, she has no choice but to join in their cutthroat pursuit of enchanted relics to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive. Ten years later, rumors are swirling that her guardian found a powerful ring from Arthurian legend just before he vanished. A run-in with her rival Emrys ignites Tamsin’s hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. But they aren’t the only ones who covet the ring. As word spreads, greedy Hollowers start circling, and many would kill to have it for themselves. While Emrys is the last person Tamsin would choose to partner with, she needs all the help she can get to edge out her competitors in the race for the ring. Together, they dive headfirst into a vipers’ nest of dark magic, exposing a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts of the past and shatter her last hope of saving her brother. "

Review: this was one of my top books of the year. It was so incredibly unique, so compelling, and so entertaining that I struggled to STOP reading it. When I did finish it, I wanted the sequel immediately. Let's start with the characters... Tamsin and Cabell were perfect. There is so much emotion, pain, and love in their bond that I fell in love with both of them from the start. Neve? Perfect. Priestesses? Perfect. The Arthurian mythology background? I wanted MORE of it, but it was still incredible. I saw another reviewer write that you couldn't even try to tell her that Emrys wasn't completely whipped for Tamsin the entire time and I AGREE, called it from the start, hands down, enemies/rivals to lovers for the win. I am EAGERLY anticipating the second book!!

The blending of Arthurian lore and modern times is a trope that is done, but I still enjoyed this book. I know that the teens here at the library have been enjoying it to as I have had a hard time keeping it in stock. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

Another wonderfully rich, immersive fantasy from Alexandra Bracken. I adored getting to know this set of characters and their world, and can't wait for more.

A great start to this duology by Alex Bracken. The characters showed great depth and development and the plot developed at a perfect pace. I can't wait to see how the story pans out in book number 2!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

I will always read anything that Alexandra Bracken writes. She's so good at worldbuilding and creating compelling characters. This is techincally a YA book (I think), but it doesn't feel juvenile at all. I can't wait to read the sequel!

I really liked this book, that being said some parts did lag. I really liked the world building and the magic system. But it did feel like a generic fantasy novel. It didn't have anything to make it an epic read for me. I would receive it though, because I did like the writing and the world it's in.

As a huge lover of Arthurian legend, I was so excited to get my hands on Silver in the Bone.
Overall while not perfect, I greatly enjoyed it and will definitely continue on with the series when book 2 comes out!

PROS
• I loved Tamsin as a FMC. Her character, values, and personality are very clear and make complete sense in terms of driving the plot.
• The slow burn / rivals to lovers dynamic with Emrys is very satisfying.
• The supporting characters are just as fleshed out as the MC's, and add so much to the overall story.
• The last act is super fast paced and action driven, and ends on a GREAT cliffhanger! Great setup for book 2.

CONS
• I will say it took me a bit to get into a rhythm on this one. The pacing of the first act was a bit slow IMO.
• The magic system and rules are definitely front-loaded and took me a bit to fully understand and get a feel for.
• While marketed as Arthurian legend, it's not quite that. There's elements of it (i.e. the setting of Avalon), but not fully. But perhaps this will be more present in book 2.

This isn't going to be much of a review because I waited to long to do it. I did enjoy the book, plan to read the next in the series, and I purchased it for my library.