Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC via netgalley to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CWs: violence, death, injury detail, abandonment

This was such an interesting read. It took me a while to get into and finish, but it was more of an I wasn’t in the right mood for it than anything else.
I did find it started out a bit slow with introducing the characters and the world, but I liked that there were already established relationships between Tamsin, Neve, Cabell, and Emrys. I also liked seeing how they changed and shifted throughout the story.
Tamsin was a great character. She was hard on herself which was super relatable, and she struggled with abandonment issues and trusting. I thought she had a great connection with Emrys, and I was living for the tension between them. The little moments of build up were so sweet and fantastic. I also loved the sibling relationship between Tamsin and Cabell.
The pacing was okay, but I found the plot moved quite slowly at times. The action scenes were exciting and I flew through them, but there were also a lot of quiet scenes that didn’t hold my attention quite as well. I felt like it really picked up steam around 65% in, and that was the part that kept me the most hooked until the end. And that ending! I need the next book now!

Fans of Bracken’s prior works will enjoy this action-packed world immersed with Arthurian lore in a uniquely contemporary and fantastical way.

There are elements of found family, rivals/enemies-to-lovers romance, and a unique magic system that made this a compelling read.

Do note that the story’s pace drags in a few places but the last half of the book really picks up.

Beware of a really mean cliffhanger too.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House & Knopf Books for a complimentary copy of this e-book. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

Sometimes I read books and never know they are retellings. That was not the case with Silver in the Bone. In fact, there was a lot I didn’t expect.

I was surprised that this is a creepier version of stories around Sir Lancelot, King Arthur, Avalon, etc. I would not want to meet some of these creatures!!

The story focuses on Tamsin and her “brother” Cabell, who is cursed. She really wants to break the curse but what unravels and the extent it may require is so far above and beyond what I would have imagined. I also found myself invested in a couple of the ancillary characters, which says something about the character building.

I don’t want to say too much and give something away! I will leave you with this - this book will take you on an adventure you weren’t expecting.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhousekids for the opportunity to read this book. The review expresses my own personal opinion.

I had such high hopes for this book, but it takes forever to get in to. The beginning is a very very slow, but eventually it speeds up a little bit and the plots more entertaining. That slowness just really takes it out of you in the beginning.

Soon after starting this, I was getting MAJOR Tomb Raider vibes. Sprinkle on top of that Arthurian lore, and I was in heaven.

From about the 25-50% mark, I felt like things were beginning to drag and the reality of the book’s length was starting to set in. It was challenging to stay motivated during those chapters, even though the book was doing a lot to flesh out the setting and the greater circumstances in the book. However, once reaching the halfway point, I was really starting to get invested into the story and characters.

Tamsin is such a strong FMC. She’s surly and pessimistic, doesn’t trust easily, but she’s also fiercely loyal and cares much more than she would like anyone to believe. She’s also wickedly smart and erudite. I related to her a lot and was constantly rooting for her to succeed.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Tamsin and her brother, and also Tamsin and Emrys. I do feel like the “slow burn” between Tamsin and Emrys could’ve been built up with more tension and thus creating a greater impact in the ending, but I’m still looking forward to how they will navigate whatever they have between them moving forward.

THAT LAST 10 % THO. What a rollercoaster. Some of it I anticipated, and even wanted to happen, but DANG. you can’t help but feel so defeated by the end of this book, which sets up book 2 so wonderfully.

I hope Tamsin continues on this character arc that she’s begun, because I think she could become a favorite.

I already want to give this book a reread and I am so excited for book two!

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf, and Alex Bracken for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed Silver in the Bone! It has many things I love in fantasy books like found family, curses, and romance. I also loved that is was inspired by Arthurian legend, that aspect was really fun! I thought the characters were interesting and the last part of the book was incredibly suspenseful and surprising.

Thank you Alexandra, Netgalley, Random House Children's, and Knopf Books for Young Readers for my review copy!

I love the whole Indiana Jones meets King Arthur vibes! I do with we got into the treasure hunt a little more but that's a small complaint! The world building was really cool and I love the found family trope!! I love Tamsin and Cabell's sibling relationship! It did start a little slow to me but the ending is so fast with a huge cliff hanger!! This is such a fantastically written fantasy! You got your sibling loyalty, enemies to lovers with some slow burn, action, adventure, betrayal, and a few good twists!!

"No matter what they say, or how much they lie to themselves, people don’t want the truth. They want the story already living inside them, buried deep as marrow in the bone."

[No rating due to DNFing before 50%]

Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was not on my radar as I own Darkest Minds by the same author and had no plans to read anything else by her until then. I then saw it was picked for at least two book boxes (whose taste in books I generally align with), and almost immediately after the publisher emailed me offering a review copy.

It was marketed to me as "a magical, treasure-hunting exploration of Arthurian legend and Celtic mythology" and "fueled by love, revenge, and pure adrenaline" and a "mythology-based, enemies-to-lovers “romantacy”" and comped to Violet Made of Thorns, The Cruel Prince, Circe, and ACOTAR.

I would like to start by saying the actual writing quality seemed great, and that I will qualify that the plot and atmosphere of this book could be amazing! I will instead talk about what made me stop reading, in case these are things you'd like to read/wouldn't bother you.

What I didn't notice about the marketing email was "expansive worldbuilding set against a contemporary backdrop", and I didn't realize until I started reading that The Cruel Prince was probably a comp because this book is set in modern times. The MC starts out chapter 1 talking about her cellphone, frequently uses modern words like "bestie", etc. That threw me hard as I generally avoid books that aren't high/epic/historical fantasy.

The plot centers around the main character trying to find a cure for her cursed brother. It gave me the vibes of the start of Lakesedge, which was a book I didn't like at all, where we don't know almost anything about the MC and the sibling except that she wants to help her brother and the brother is cursed. What are their personalities, their interests, their aspirations? I didn't notice much of that other than that the MC seemed kind of sassy/talked back immediately without a filter.

The pacing was very slow, and when I gave up at 16%, I skipped to the middle and the first romance scene, and nothing seemed "pure adrenaline" to me about the plot.

I will most likely still give Darkest Minds a try as I already own it, but this book was unfortunately not it for me.

Silver in the Bone is a YA contemporary fantasy novel. The central theme includes Arthurian Legends. Before picking this book, I knew nothing about Arthurian legends, yet it wasn't hard for me to understand it. This book has become my best read of 2023.

This book has the tropes I love the most, like action, adventure, found family, and enemies to lovers. Including mythology in this book made it even more interesting to read. So much was happening in every chapter, keeping me glued to the pages.

Tamsin and her brother Cabell are my favorite characters in the book. Their sibling bond is expressed so well throughout the book. It made my heart warm. Their guardian Nash left them in the process of finding a cure to the curse that Cabell bears and never returned. At such a young age, Tamsin made it her responsibility to care for her brother and did everything she could to protect him.

Tamsin and Emrys banters were so fun to read. The growth in their relationship was so gradual and smooth. The book was from Tamsin’s pov, and I wished there were chapters from Emrys' pov. I can't wait to see more of them in the next book.

Neve, the sorceress, joins Tamsin, Emrys, and Cabell later in the book in their journey to search for the cure to Cabell's curse. She was so kind and caring, just like Tamsin. But she expressed it, unlike Tamsin, who found a way to shut people away. I don't blame Tamsin for that behavior, considering her past.

Many magical systems are explained in the book, but it is simple and clear. The three main characters(Tamsin, Emrys, and Cabell) are Hollowers who work for mostly Sorceresses to recover magical objects or relics in exchange for money.

What I love most in the book is that importance is given to every character. It's not the usual "hero saved the day" or "heroine saved the day." Everyone played an excellent part in winning the final fight—hats off to the author for giving equal importance to every character.

The twist at the end was so unexpected, changing everything I had believed since the beginning of the book. The cliffhanger left my jaw dropped. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Overall, this is a perfect young adult fantasy with magic, action, love, betrayal, friendship, sibling bond, and a sarcastic protagonist making the novel even better.

Alexandra bracken has a place in my heart that nobody can replace. This book was made even better by getting to see Alex talk about her book in person on launch week! She is so passionate about her writing and does a thorough job of researching before she writes her books.. and it shows!

This book was a fun listen (Thank you Libro.fm for my complimentary copy). An Arthurian Legend retelling as an Urban Fantasy. Modern day kids get thrown into the Arthurian World, where they have to figure out who has cursed the land.

It was a positively adventurous story. Full of likeable characters, romance, curses and betrayals. It kept me interested and now I'm looking forward to the next book to see how the characters will be thrown for a loop again.

A must read for YA Fantasy lovers.

What a great follow up book to Lore. I loved that one, so I was stoked to get my hands on this one. While it is obviously different, the writing was the same which I really appreciate. It’s definitely the first in the series and left me wanting more of the story and characters, but since I already want to read the next book I am calling that a huge success! Loved it

Thank you to Random House for the Arc!

I did dnf this book.

I tried really hard to get into this book but I really struggled. I was so excited to read this book but it just fell flat to me. I think for most part this was a me issue and not the book.

I think this could just be a me problem but I had a hard time with the worldbuilding at times. But I’ve struggled with fantasy books lately for that exact reason so that could just be me. Also the story was just too slow paced for me.

OMG this was such a captivating YA urban fantasy! Inspired by Arthurian legend, it had me hooked from the very beginning. The characters were likable, and the magic system and world-building in the Isle of Avalon setting were well-blended. The banter between Tamsin and Emery, who go from enemies to lovers, was so much fun to read. Although there were some clunky moments with the world-building and pacing, this book started a bit lighter, then it became a bit dark, twisted, and suspenseful, with a heart-wrenching scene. The found family element and sibling relationship between Tamsin and Cabell were highlights, and the chemistry between Tamsin and Emery was electric. I'm eagerly anticipating the second installment!

I loved this! I went into it almost completely blind other than knowing it had Arthurian legend influences and it was so much fun to just be taken along for the ride.

The world that Alexandra Bracken has created is so vivid and atmospheric and I was sucked in immediately. I really liked how she used the Arthurian mythos but brought it into a modern day fantasy setting. It's not a retelling, but a story within a world where Arthur and his knights actually existed.

This is a darker fantasy than I was expecting but honestly the moodiness hit juuuust right. And the last quarter or so was absolutely nonstop adrenaline and twists and a full on cliffhanger ending. I'm so excited to see where things go in book two!

Read this if you like:
- dark modern fantasy
- found family
- slow burn rivals to lovers
- Arthurian mythology

Thank you so much to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was surprisingly really good. I was engaged throughout the story and the blend of mythology was spectacular. It might be a hot take, but I wasn't a very big fan of Lore and I was losing a little hope in Bracken. This brought that hope back. Please check this out!

Orphans Cabell and Tamsin are struggling to get by after their guardian Nash goes missing. Tamsin is searching for anything that will cure Cabell of his curse of turning into a mindless hound. She finds a clue to the location of the Ring of Dispel, but before she can go for it she runs into her enemy Emrys who is also searching for it. Through a series of unfortunate events, Tamsin, Cabell, Emrys, and sorceress Neve end up in the mythical land of Avalon. Avalon is not the beautiful land of legend. It is suffering from a curse. Tamsin wants nothing more but to find the Ring and leave these people, but the others want to help them. Can the curse be lifted? Will Tamsin find the Ring and save her brother?That last line is about the only thing that makes me want to read the next book.

I really enjoyed this epic YA fantasy! It gives Indiana Jones vibes mixed with Arthurian legend. It took a little bit to grasp the complex world building and array of characters, but I love books fantasy that have more depth! This was my first book from this author, and I loved her writing style. I can’t wait to continue this series and read more from this author!

“Sometimes I envy your memory… Because it’s a place where nothing dies.”

Bracken intertwines Arthurian Legend into the magic and settings of this book so beautifully while not only creating gorgeous relationships between every character but setting up truly surprising plot twists and red herrings. Every detail adds to the story, leading readers on the richest adventure through England and the Otherlands.

First, the magic and the settings. Fantasy can easily get a little too wordy trying to explain how magic or politics work in new worlds, but the way the information is woven into the story is gorgeous and doesn’t feel like learning. The magic and history are so nuanced and complex, it’s exactly what you want and need to make the events fit together and everything feel realistic.

The settings, too! Everything was easy to picture and subtle details were reinforced the longer Tamsin and the others spent in a place. These were easily some of my favorite parts of Bracken’s writing and the book overall.

What was really interesting, though, are the ways the characters interact and the subversion of some of the common Arthurian legends. As time progresses, there’s amazing development and growth for almost every character in the book, which makes some key points so much more emotional and heartbreaking. I laughed, I cried, I was a little bit destroyed and definitely shocked.

Minor spoilers here, but the secrets and the betrayals! The warnings were there and they still hurt. Fingers crossed for redemption arcs in book two.

Next, the timeline is a little difficult to follow if you’re not paying a lot of attention to it, but the foreshadowing and consistency are spot on throughout. Bracken’s writing in Silver in the Bone is absolutely at its best. The book was so easy to lose yourself in; it was engaging in all the best ways.

Now, for the bit I didn’t like. I hate to admit, I wasn’t fond of Flea. She was one character I felt didn’t change much, but really that’s because she seemed to really only be there as an excuse to share knowledge—whether it was her telling the Hollowers something or having them give her advice. She was important, but kind of meh.

Absolutely would recommend this book to those who liked Merlin or Arthurian legend. It was a great read overall, and an excellent first in the series.

Silver in the Bone is an Arthurian fantasy that features both mythical and urban settings. As a Hollower, Tamsin hunts magical relics from Arthurian legend, and along the way, she gets in more than a few scrapes.

From the beginning, Silver in the Bone is atmospheric. There’s a gritty darkness to the novel that fans of Alexandra Bracken’s previous works (Lore) will recognize.

The novel starts out strong, but wanes a little in the following chapters. It was a good 50 pages (the book is 496 pages long) before I was truly hooked. But once hooked, I could not put Silver in the Bone down, reading it late into the night.

That slow start felt like it had a lot to do with pacing, which does pick up substantially once the “adventure” starts. That’s when all of the elements come together — setting, mystery, magic, romance and peril.

Even though there are a few main players in Silver in the Bone, the story is told in first person from Tamsin’s point of view. It’s a good choice to use first person, as it heightens the emotion and really takes you inside her thought process.

Silver in the Bone is not a standalone, so be prepared for some big twists and unfinished business. It’s a high-stakes journey that’s appropriate for older young adult readers, ages 14 and up.