Tamsin Lark is a Hollower, a glorified thief of magical items, often auctioned off to the highest bidder. The only problem is that she’s wholly mortal, no magic at all, not even a bit of the One Vision to be able to detect when magic is near. Nevertheless, after their foster father disappeared, Tamsin and her brother have to follow in his treacherous footsteps to insure their own survival. When rumors start swirling that a long-lost object with the power to break curses might have surfaced, it’s a race to see if Tamsin can beat her rival, Emrys, and the rest of the Hollowers to the finish line – and break her brother’s curse once and for all.

This book was a rocky read for me. The initial worldbuilding was somehow a mixture of way too much exposition and also a total lack of clarity as to what was actually going on. Things settled a bit when the characters got to [SPOILER], but then a whole new backstory was revealed that I never really understood – though at that point I was so invested that I went right along with it. I love Arthurian folklore, but am definitely less familiar with it than I am with Greek mythology and your classic fairytales, so a good portion of this story might have made more sense if I knew the inspiration/source material better – but then again, worldbuilding is the foundation of fantasy and it just wasn’t executed as highly as I would have wanted it to be.

That being said, once the story got going, it just kept rolling, and I had a really hard time putting it down. The characters are annoyingly frustrating in their flaws, but that just makes them all the more real and Bracken had me FEELING for them. I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, and even though I knew it was coming, it still managed to sweep me away. “Choose me, because I choose you” had me positively BAWLING on my couch, and the little details of setting and humanity included had me hurting in the best way.

The last few chapters are an absolute rollercoaster of twist after turn after revelation and I turned the last (e-)page in absolute disbelief. So, if you’re not good with cliffhangers, most definitely wait to pick this one up until the sequel is closer to releasing at some point next year.

Content warning: brutal violence, descriptive gore, blood, massacre & death, parental abandonment, physical abuse (off-page, discussed by characters), death of a guardian.

*Actual rating is 4.5*

Silver in the Bone is a story all about curses, found family and a world overrun by darkness. Inspired by Arthurian legends, this book was nothing like I expected. Here I was thinking it was going to be a mix between The Amazing Race and Indians Jones, with a bigger focus on the competition about who could find the legendary artifact first. But alas, it was not. The book turned out to be both darker (both literally and figuratively) and more emotional than I thought beforehand. All of this gloom and doom made it at times hard to not feel exhausted by the story.

Because the main character, Tamsin, has a lot of anger, fear and sadness to her. Not to mention a bad case of pushing people away in a misguided attempt to protect herself. While I understand where she comes from, constantly being in survival mode and never letting anyone close to hurt you, having this kind of mc in combination with the bleak world most of the story takes place in… there’s just no victory to brighten the mood. There needs to be a balance between the light and the darkness of the story, and this is why I enjoyed the first and last part of the book more than the middle. Probably why I came to adore Neve and Emrys, they bring kindness and a much needed light to the story (while also carrying heavy pasts themselves). I wish they would have been a bit more fleshed out. As is now, some of their actions just felt a bit confusing at times since I didn’t know their motivation.

Something that this book did great was the atmosphere, like the world building was on point. The storytelling was overall good, but there were a lot of plot twists. Some which never were truly answered, which left me with more questions than answers. Also some things I didn’t see coming. If it was because the foreshadow wasn’t clear enough, or if I just missed things I don’t know. My feelings were all over the place while reading, and the ending was no exception. It was like a gut punch while also leaving me desperate for the sequel.

I enjoyed this book, despite the emotional damage it caused me, and it was constantly on my mind until I could finish it.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @aaknopf for an early copy of Silver in the Bone by @alexbracken. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Silver in the Bone tells the story of orphaned siblings Tamsin and Cabell who take on a job to find a magical ring and their missing guardian. The ring, they were hoping, would free Cabell from his curse.

It’s been a while since I read something Arthurian-related, and Silver in the Bone is a great Arthurian legend retelling, an adventure beautifully written, albeit quite slow in pacing. The magic system was very interesting as it melds both modern and mythical elements into the story. It didn’t hold my attention much during the first half, but once I got the hang of it and its elements, it got interesting overall.
Out of all the characters, it was Tamsin who stood out to me. I wasn’t really a fan of her in the beginning as she was quite pessimistic, but as the story unraveled, I empathized with her.

This is a promising beginning to the series and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. Rating this ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. Available to purchase today!

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book.

I was anticipating reading Silver in the Bone so much, and maybe my anticipation just built the book up too much...because it left me very disappointed. I wasn't very engaged in the plot, I wasn't attached to the characters, and I found myself skimming over several parts just to get to the next chapter.

The ending was good, and that is really what saved the book from a two star rating. The ending was a bit more violent than I expected, but overall, it was a decent ending. I don't know if I will read any other books by this author or other books in this series, and I won't be purchasing this book for my shelves...so that is what led me to the three star rating.

I saw Arthurian fantasy and immediately added to my tbr. Anxiously awaiting the sequel.

In this book we follow Tamsin Lark. Her and her brother, Cabell are left to fend for themselves by taking up odd and dangerous jobs when their guardian disappears during a job that would lead them to the ring of dispel which was Tamsin's hope to free Cabell from his curse.

Years down the road Tamsin accepts another job as she is handing in a current one which puts her back on the path of ring of dispel but things are getting dangerous and dark.

I had a love/hate relationship with our main character, she was rude and cold towards so many people but we do get to see a little into it as her own backstory unfolds. There is brief romance in the book as an enemies to lovers and I hope it comes back in book two. This book has some dark gruesome scenes in it as there is a lot of death that happens throughout the curse plaguing Avalon.

The book does end on a cliffhanger so be warned as you may be punching the air wanting to know what happens next. This was a great read. So many emotions were felt during this book.

Silver In The Bone by Alexandra Bracken is a young adult fantasy that had me on an amazing, emotional roller coaster! It's about a pair of siblings who did "for-hire" jobs finding old relics for sorceresses. When one of them gets word of a possible curse breaker, they decide to throw caution to the wind and embark on this magical quest.

First of all, this book was pretty freaking great. It's based around the Arthurian legend with its own unique blend. The quest and world building were perfection. I enjoyed the characters and their growth so much. The banter between two of the characters was so good and added some lightheartedness to this very intense fantasy with high stakes.

The story was fast-paced with twists, curses, portal magic, action, and badass priestesses. It also touches on family drama and abandonment. I feel like the author wrote this book with the intention to break many hearts!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Silver in the Bone is an Arthurian inspired story, where Tamsin and her brother Cabell are trying to find a powerful ring which could free Cabell from his curse.

“The past cannot hold more worth than the future.”

I’ve not read a lot of Arthurian inspired books, but I am always all for retelling and mythology inspired stories! I really liked the take on this book with the legends, where the legends aren’t told again but all happened and then some more!

The plot was one I liked. I liked the progression of the story, with a lengthy introduction and the pace and stakes slowly picking up. The plot is very adventurous and has a touch of mystery added because you don’t know until the end why everything happens. I liked how the story kept me guessing at what would happen and why. It kept me engaged in the story and wanting to keep on reading!

The writing style was pleasant, but the way it was written did take me a bit longer to fully emerge in the story. it isn’t a style that sucks me in immediately and doesn’t let go. I could easily put the book down to be honest, but then I would keep on thinking about what I read. It is written in a way that you can’t stop thinking about what was happening and the questions I had.

I am such a fan of Tamsin! She is very pessimistic and doesn’t “dream” much. She just tells it as she sees it and while she often crushes hope for others with her realistic views, I could really appreciate that in this story! it is very much as Neve said at one point: “Tamsin, you don’t have a thick skin, you have armor.” That really sums up Tamsin as a character. I especially loved the development and how much she grew!

I loved the bonds that this book had! The sibling bond between Tamsin and Cabell is probably the most important, because it is the driving power between everything Tamsin does! I loved that! The same could be said about the sister bond between The Nine! I loved how the focus was on friendship and family and not per se romance. There was some romance, which I liked! It felt very true to their characters how that evolved and developed!

Okay, so time to clear some things up… I was 100% convinced this book would be a standalone. I was fully committed going into this story, starting and finishing the story and everything… And to be honest, I still thought that up until 98%... it was those last few pages that completely blew me away with how they unfolded. I had my heart broken, I had some hope again and then I was blown off my seat by the reveal and ending. I am not okay, I needed book two yesterday!
I still have so many questions and I can’t wait to see them answered in the sequel, which won’t be released until 2024 T_T

Overall, Silver in the Bone is an amazing story that you can’t stop thinking about and takes you on a wild rollercoaster!

Tamsin. Emrys. Neve, and Cabell end up in Avalon facing the knights who are trying to save everyone they love from the Children ( monsters related to the Lord of Death). Tamsin and Emrys grow closer and closer to each other with Tamsin letting her guard down. Emrys really loves to banter and get under her skin because as he explains, its cuz he knows she truly sees him and he always refers to her as “bird” because she is always flying away from him. Emrys says he has been abused by his father and he wants to free himself and his mother from him and needs the ring to do so. Tamsin wants to save Cabell despite how they fight with each other and is willing to do anything to save him. Emrys and Tamsin admit their feelings for one another and agree to keep their relationship status just between themselves. Tamsin and Emrys find the ring and then Emrys steals it and disappears from Avalon while the Lord of Death has awoken and now Cabell has teamed up with him accepting himself as a werewolf, parting from Tamsin. Now she has joined the knights of Avalon and opened up the door between the mortal world and Avalon... and the story ends with Nash, Tamsin’s foster father who had disappeared reappearing at her apartment door looking younger and telling her that he is here to help her break her curse.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

3.5 stars

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC.

I was excited to get an advance copy of this book because I like the author. It wasn't one of my favorites, but it was fine.

This story was interesting. I did find it a little slow in the middle of the book, but it did pick up within the last 50 pages or so.

I like books with travel to other worlds and especially Authurian takes in stories. I didn't so much find that it hit that mark in this book, but I can see something going on in the sequel (hopefully).

Tamsin wasn't a favorite, but I enjoyed the other characters. The ending was shocking, so I'll have to look out for the sequel.

I really don’t know much about arthurian mythology, but this book was a delight! I loved the characters and the magic system. It ended with a cliffhanger so I will be first in line for the sequel!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Alexandra Bracken's new novel, Silver in the Bone, is a story in the King Arthur universe. It's not a retelling or a reimagining. It's a story about what happens when modern relic hunters make their way to Avalon.

"Tamsin Lark has no magical ability. When their foster father abandons them, she and her brother spend their time hunting for relics and magical treasures. Ten years later, there are rumors that he is in possession of a powerful ring from Arthurian legend. All roads lead to Avalon where they unearth a deadly secret."

My experience with YA fantasy means that the World-Building slows the first part of a book. Once you have a sense of what's going on and the rules of the world, the story can flow a little better. It's interesting to see how Bracken writes around the Arthur legend and characters. Lots of strong female characters and lots of action. Tamsin is a character that doesn't know where she came from or what she's capable of. There's a bit of a cliff-hanger so I'm sure we'll get to see what she can do.

Some good YA Fantasy from Bracken.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

I love anything that has to do with King Arthur and Merlin and when I saw that Silver in the Bone was inspired by Arthurian legend, I knew I had to read this book. I am so happy that this book has everything in it: magic, curses, romance, action, dark and spooky atmosphere, found family and revenge.

I loved that in this retelling you got to see a darker side of Arthurian legend. I loved the mystery, the action, and the drama when it came to the plot. There were times that I did find myself confused or saying “Wait, what?” but I am happy to say that everything does wrap itself nicely in the end. Even with that cliffhanger. Bracken really knows how to draw you into a book and keeps you enthralled in it as well that you will find yourself at the end of the book before you even know it and now you have to wait to see what happens to the characters that you have come to love. I really enjoyed Bracken world-building. I thought the pace of the book was on par for everything, you might find yourself a little confused in the beginning, then you will be sucked right into it, then it does level out in the middle but towards the end it does not stop until the last page. It really gives you a chance to look back through everything you have already learned and what is next to learn.

I thought the characters were a great fit for the book. I really did not like Tamsin in the beginning, but the more and more that I got to know her I started to feel for her and her past. I enjoyed getting to see her development throughout the book. It wasn’t just the MFC that you got to see the development from as well. I loved that you got to see and connect with the side characters. Emery’s character… I don’t know what to say other than I hope to see you in the next book with all the answers to my questions. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers with Tasmin and Emery’s, but I think my favorite part was all the bantering between them.

If you are looking for a great fantasy with a lot of twists and turns, one that will keep you guessing and questioning what will happen next, you really need to pick up this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Children for the opportunity to review this book.

This book was beyond phenomenal! The characters are real and flawed and you cannot help but cheer for them. And Alexandra Bracken definitely captured the feeling of magic and wonder that exists in Arthurian legend.

This book is full of found family, female friendship, heartbreak, Betrayal, and magic. I don't know how I am going to wait for the second book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Silver in the Bone opens a new series inspired by Arthurian legend, starring Tamsin Lark, a mortal orphan who must partner with her rival to hunt down a legendary ring that could have the power to free her brother from a curse.

One thing Alexandra Bracken does well is craft a whirlwind adventure, and Silver in the Bone is no exception. Action-packed and wonderfully magical, Silver in the Bone was a remarkably quick read for me despite its heftier page count, simply because it kept me riveted the whole time. I liked our cast of characters and the magic system was interesting, plus the combination of modern and mythical worlds was intriguing.

Where I struggled was the ties to Arthurian legend. Much as I feel like it was objectively present on the page -- Avalon, the death of King Arthur -- the story itself didn't otherwise feel particularly tied to Arthurian legend as much as I was really hoping it would.

Overall, I think this was a fun adventure, and I'm excited to see Tamsin's story play out further in book 2.

I love a good Arthurian retelling, and Alexandra Bracken handles it expertly. This novel was phenomenally paced, extremely exciting, and deep in content. I very much adored Silver in the Bone!

Tamsin is a Hollower. A glorified grave digger in a dangerous, magical world. The main force driving Tamsin is her brother and his curse. She does what it take to survive and keep both of them alive, after they were abandoned by their foster father.

This story is sold as a ya fantasy steeped in the King Arthur myth. There isn't a lot, or enough, of the myth in the story--I wish there was more. I have enjoyed previous work but this author and this book did not disappoint. It was a little rough to get into in the beginning. The world-building left me a little confused as to what was going on and how things worked. Things did pick up and get better. I enjoyed the pacing of the plot, the characters, and the twists the book took!

I received an ARC in from Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. And this is my first Alexandra Bracken book—now I think I may have to go read LORE.

Genre: Fantasy (Romance elements), YA Mythology, Arthurian Retelling
Violence Level: Medium (death but not in agonizing detail + plenty of nail-biting danger)
Spice Level: Medium (Kissing but there's a scene where a man is hiding his crotch for obvious reasons which is why this rating is bumped up to medium over low.)
Representation: Very light sapphic romance (mentioned a few of times)

King Arthur? I'm in. SILVER IN THE BONE gives a new approach to Morgan, Merlin, Arthur, Avalon, Sorceresses, Druids, and all of magic.

Wow! It sucked me into its world.

Tamsin is the odd-one-out because she doesn't have the sight. Her brother, Cabell, is cursed. And then her nemesis, Emrys, ends up on the same job to find the missing ring.

Tamsin is sour and off-putting in the best way. She says what others are thinking or should be thinking as a true pessimist. Cabell is a Mr. McBroody pants. And Emrys is the rich frat boy who is so charming, and misunderstood once you get to know him. There's also a side character that is eternally sunny, and I loved her too as a foil for Tamsin.

After the opening 25%, everything gets really bananas.

Death, lies, and tragedy haunt them. The goal almost seems obtainable, and then it doesn't, and then the goal might get solved in another way. Do they have the facts? Is there a better solution?

What is the truth?

Is this a happy tale? Not exactly. People die. As in death is omnipresent. The book is obviously going to continue but not in that horrible we've-left-you-dangling-from-a-cliff type of way, but with a hook that put me on the edge of my seat. Oh boy, do I want the next one. I would read it right now if it was available.

The romantic elements could be in a straight-up romance novel. Glancing at lips, the fingers through hair, the heat in the belly. Mind you, I happen to enjoy these elements, and they're well done.

There are also TWISTS! Oh my, just read and see if you guess what I didn't. How many twists you ask? I'm not going to tell you because I don't want to help you in your guessing. (Cue evil laugh.)

This is a book that anyone who loved Arthurian tales is going to want to read—even though the focus is more on Avalon, while King Arthur is the springboard. It's also appropriate for teens (maybe slightly older ones) and adults.

I highly recommend this book.

Happy reading!

Oh my….wow! Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken is the first in an Arthurian inspired fantasy series about a young girl and her quest to break her brother’s curse. Tamsin Lark has spent her whole life protecting her brother Cabell and bringing him back to himself when his curse takes control. After their guardian went missing 7 years ago, Tamsin has poured herself into research harboring anger for Nash’s disappearance and fear that her brother would be next. When a sorceress offers to pay Tamsin an exorbitant amount of money for an ancient artifact, Tamsin can’t refuse.

Going into this story, I expected magic and mythology colliding, I pictured a medieval fantasy with knights and sorceresses. I was half right. This book is actually set in present day, magic is real yet hidden, and Tamsin and her brother are in the know. They are Hollowers, a glorified term for thieves and grave robbers who search out ancient artifacts for other magical entities. Their job is both exciting and dangerous, but also doesn’t pay well. With the disappearance of their guardian, Cabell and Tamsin are on the outskirts of their society, looked down upon, and often receive jobs that barely cover the bills. It also doesn’t help that Tamsin does not have the One Vision, what they call magic in this world.

While the entire story is told from Tamsin’s perspective, there are four main characters: Tamsin, Cabell, Emrys, and Neve. Cabell is Tamsin’s brother and the main drive behind her actions. Emrys Dye is her nemesis. He is the golden boy of one of the richest Hollower families, and he happens to be on the same job as Tamsin. I don’t want to spoil Neve as we don’t know much about her until midway through the story, but I love her 😀

This book is nonstop action taking us from Boston to the isle of Avalon. The magic system is complex, but not hard to follow. The characters are amazingly and wonderfully flawed. They are human in every way, and I could easily see myself meeting them on the street. I fell in love with the world, even though it is quite brutal. The way Bracken takes history and mythology and shapes it into her own storytelling is nothing short of brilliant. The imagery leaps off the page and is vivid enough to picture in my mind as I was reading. Fully immersive and unable to stop reading!

Overall I really enjoyed Silver in the Bone. Tamsin’s narration, her own struggles with magic, and what she finds throughout her quest is both heartbreaking and inspiring. And the end 🤯 I need book two yesterday please. Highly recommend for fans of Avalon and fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author who allowed me to read this arc.

I haven't been able to finish the book, but I am loving it so far. Alexandra Bracken has a way with words and it is so fun to be immersed in her worlds. She is great with storytelling and the world she builds. The only thing I had a problem with what I have read is it is easy to get lost in but other than that it is very good and can't wait to read the ending!!

𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔—𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔—𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆.

This. Book.
I’ve just finished an ARC and realized that I have to wait a long, long time for the sequel… and with that ending the waiting is already killing me.

I haven’t read the author's previous book, Lore, so I went into this one pretty blind.
In the beginning, I was a bit confused — the reader is thrown right into the action with little information or context. But in no time the story sucked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat.
What I loved the most was that Silver in the Bone kept surprising me. I was a bit suspicious of one of the characters — and rightly so — but I would have never guessed where the story ended up.

What will you find in Silver in the Bone?
— magic & curses
— action-packed
— dark atmosphere
— Arthurian setting with Resident Evil vibes (might seem a bit of a stretch but I loved it!)
— found family
— slow-burn romance
— “who did this to you?” reversed (for once it’s the FMC to say that)
— twists and turns around every corner

I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a darker YA fantasy, full of action and terrific plot twists.

Footnote: though this book is set in Avalon and has a lot of Arthurian references, don’t expect it to be a retelling of the Arthurian myth.

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Many thanks to the publisher and @tbrbeyondtours for having me on the book tour!