I have mixed feelings about this book. I really wanted to like it. The description sounds amazing. I was expecting a high adventure with a love that would grow throughout the book, but this book was a lot of info dumping and confusing unless you are really into King Arthur and have a lot of knowledge of this type of world. The info that was given, was not very helpful to the worldbuilding, so I personally was left confused for a good chunk of the book.

Tamsin is pretty unlikeable and the book mentions it a lot. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters and I think that is why I had a hard time finishing this book. Tamsin has minimal development throughout the book, but I do believe she is in for a lot of growth as the series continues.

The end was probably the best part of the book and is the only reason why I am probably going to continue when the next book continues. I'm sure as the series continues, the worldbuilding will develop as will the love connection. I do have high hopes for the series and I'm interested to see what happens to Tamisn, Cabell, and the rest of the crew. 3.5/5 stars for this book just because I felt like the book dragged on until the last maybe 50 pages.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

<b>5⭐️</b>

from the moment i first heard about this book i knew i would love it, and i wasn’t wrong.

<i>silver in the bone</i> is a mythology infused fantasy that follows tamsin, a mortal girl with no magical talents working as a hollower, breaking into crypts and competing with sorceresses and cunningfolk for the treasures kept inside. her only goal is to keep herself and her brother cabell alive after their foster father disappeared with a powerful ring from arthurian legend. when a run-in with her rival emrys ignites tamsin’s hope that the ring could free her brother from his curse, she is determined on tracking it before anyone else can. as the stakes rise tamsin is forced to partner up with emrys while they journey to king arthur’s avalon.

first of all, this book blew me away. even though it started out really slow in the beginning the plot progressed really well later on. there were so many twists and turns, so much action that i never felt bored or tired while reading this book. as someone who doesn’t know too much about the legend of king arthur i was sceptical about this book at first. however, even my limited knowledge was more than enough because the author did an amazing job at describing everything.

secondly, we meet so many great and unique characters throughout the book. tamsin is literally one of my new favourite female characters. i loved her pessimistic nature and her stubbornness. she totally gives off older sister vibes which i relate to on another level. her banter with emrys was also a highlight of the book. that boy was obsessed with her i swear!!! the forced proximity also really worked wonders here.

the only complaint that i have about this book is that we were left on a cliffhanger. after so many betrayals and tragic moments it was almost my last straw. that was so evil of you alexandra bracken and i need the second book as fast as possible!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off a little slow for my liking, but once Tamsin and crew arrived in Avalon things picked up pace. I am intrigued by the system of magic in this book and hope it is explored more in the next book. I love how Arthurian myth was used and wish there was more myth. That cliffhanger though! I need another book ASAP!

On paper this appears to be an interesting story with Arthurian lore woven in the story. While I enjoyed the dark elements of the story, it fell flat, with little character development. If you are in need to read an Arthurian inspired tale I suggest Legendborn by Tracy Deonn.
Many thanks to Random House Children's and netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overview:

💀 Adventure horror
🆒 King Arthur retelling
🫶 Intense sibling relationship
🫶 Rivals to Lovers
🆗 Urban Fantasy/Isekai
🆗 Slow pacing
😍 Slow burn romance
😍 Betrayals

Tasmin and her cursed brother Cabel were both adopted by, then abandoned by their foster father Nash, and raised adjacent to a hidden world of magic. When the opportunity presents itself, they take off on a quest to search for a way to break Cabel's curse, which leads them to the crumbling island of Avalon. The once lush liminal world served as a place to protect King Arthur's court, but is now a hellscape overrun by zombies and monsters. With the help of the local rich boy and an adorable goth sorceress, the siblings seek to break the curse and escape Avalon.

Silver in the Bone is tough to rate. I consumed this one slowly, both through audiobook and ebook.

On the one hand, it is a brilliant fantasy horror that pulls no punches and has amazing characters. On the other hand, it can be slow, and its worst trait is that it has a lot going on. Alexandra Bracken vomits plot points all over the page, and many don't feel necessary. Expect a lot of side plots. But that's my big gripe and why it took me so long to finish.

Now, on to the cool stuff.

The characters in this book SHINE. Tasmin is a flawed female protagonist, jaded from years of struggle and abandonment. Cabel is a wonderful protective brother figure, but he's also struggling with his demons and identity in a major way. Neave the sorceress is a charming little monster- shes weird and seems like a dark character at first, but is truly an empathetic puppy dog. She struggles with the hatred that sorceresses experience from the rest of the magical world. Finally, you have Emrys- our little fanfiction Draco Malfoy type. Rich, entitled, but has a layer of sweetness underneath.

All of the characters interact with each other and have their own stories to tell, they are not just centered around the main character. Additionally, there is a nice rivals to lovers subplot, but it doesn't overshadow the story and is a very slow burn. I loved the pairing and has a lot of fun with it.

The plot itself is super creative. Legendborn set the standard for Arthurian legend retellings, and this one is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT- leaning heavily into horror. Bracken creates many creative monsters that are fleshed out and described so well for this story. It's genuinely creepy at times. I always appreciate when a YA series puts thought into its universe- and if you like worldbuilding and lore, Silver in the Bone won't disappoint you.

As noted, it's also incredibly dark and pretty unforgiving. It's grimdark as hell. Expect several deaths and horrific, scary scenes. There aren't any magic fixes, and the group experiences a lot of trauma. I don't have any obvious trigger warnings, but I'd avoid this book if you are apprehensive about books where happy endings are not possible for everyone. It's bleak from start to finish despite its glowing cast of characters.

I expected to like this more than I did. Full review linked below.

I'd like to thank the publisher Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review

Plot: 8/10
The plot at the beginning of this book struck me as a little meandering and aimless. Tamsin is seemingly pulled in all sorts of directions—Cabell's curse, the Dispel Ring, Nash's disappearance, her own lack of the One Sight, all kinds of things are going on. However, once the characters arrive in Avalon, things get a little more streamlined. There's one major issue: the island is overrun by the Children of the Night, and priestesses of Avalon have dwindled to a truly miniscule number. Once the real conflict is revealed, I was properly pulled in.

The final 100 or so pages were very strong. There were all kinds of reveals going on, and it had me on the edge of my seat. Tamsin's own connection to the curse is incredibly interesting, and not all the questions have been answered by the end. The twist at the end was insane, and it was a little vindicating since I'd suspected one of the reveals. Also, I knew who the traitor was from the start; they almost made me doubt, but then I was right, which is always fun.

Characters: 9/10
The main character, Tamsin, was at first a little typical. The grumpy, rude, disillusioned protagonist abounds in YA today, and I wasn't really into her at first, but she got better. I think it really helped to have Cabell there; Tamsin's care for her brother balances her prickly personality well. By around halfway through, it's clear that Tamsin is disgustingly pessimistic but by no means an asshole. By the end of the book, especially after seeing how she came to be this way (and then have it happen to her again and her choose to be better this time), I was thoroughly attached.

Cabell is a character I'm torn on. From an analytical perspective, he's quite interesting, but I kept getting annoyed with him. I feel like it's just a side effect of relating so much to Tamsin, who definitely has eldest sister syndrome. Honestly, despite him being such a major character, he wasn't around as much as the other side characters, Neve and Emrys. Neve was sweet, and I think she was good for Tamsin, although I'm hoping to get more information on her backstory. We got a little peek of it, but then it was pushed to the side in favor of the other things going on. Emrys, however, really got me. First, he seems like a great love interest for Tamsin. Second, I thought I had him figured out towards the end, but then everything went off the rails and now I definitely want to see more of him.

The other side characters were pretty good. I particularly liked the priestesses, Cait, Olwen, and Flea. I think that Cait especially was characterized very well, and despite them really only 'joining the group' towards the end, they all were great.

Writing Style: 7/10
While I really like Alexandra Bracken, it's more for her plot and character work than writing. There's nothing wrong with it, I just don't think it stands out in the grand scheme of things. It does what it's supposed to do, and that's about it. I will mention that the pacing feels a little off in the beginning; it feels like Bracken knew where she wanted the characters to end up, but she wasn't sure how to get them there. Once they're in Avalon, everything smooths out, but before it's a little jerky.

Overall: 8/10
Initially, I was having some trouble getting through this book. I think part of it was just how busy I've been, but I do think the beginning just doesn't do it for me. However, it was necessary for the most part, and I really liked the rest of the book. Tamsin grew on me, I was invested in the romance, and the side characters are quite good. The actual plot is full of all kinds of twists and reveals, and it ended on such a good cliffhanger—it definitely makes me want to read the next book! I'd say that even though this book isn't perfect, it's a great read, especially if you're an Arthurian nerd like me.

Bracken drops you right into this Arthurian inspired tale and doesn't hold your hand while you figure out whats what. As such, I found the first fifty pages to be a bit disorienting but once I found my footing I could not put this down!

Fans of found family, enemies to lovers, and epic adventures will fall hard for this fast paced story! Do keep in mind that this is inspired by Arthurian legend and not a retelling. You will recognize characters and settings but beyond that, Silver in the Bone is something fresh and unique!

Endless thanks to Netgalley for the review copy.

I really enjoyed this book. I hope to read more of Bracken's books in the future. I've already bought some of them.

I've loved Alexandra Bracken's books ever since I read The Darkest Minds series when I was a teen, so it shouldn't be a surprise when I say that I was very excited for Silver In The Bone too! And it was just as amazing as I thought it would be!

Tamsin Lark and her brother Cabell have only had each other to depend on for many years after their foster father, Nash disappeared without a trace. Without any other skills and options they've had to follow in his footsteps and become Hollowers - the ones who hunt for magical treasures and relics, sometimes for a prize - and this involves numerous risks, especially for an ordinary person like her without any magical talents. When Tamsin comes across the opportunity to search for a ring linked to Arthurian legends that could help break Cabell's curse, she's determined to search for it. Even if that means going against many other Hollowers who want to get their hands on it, while entering into an uneasy partnership with Emrys, her rival and a privileged Hollower who seems to be keeping some secrets.

Not that Tamsin would trust him anyway - she doesn't trust anybody😆 But frankly I loved Tamsin not just because of how witty she was, but because she was very relatable. I know I'm sometimes quite pessimistic in general but hey you won't be disappointed if you're always expecting the worst and Tamsin feels the same way🤣 How could I not like her? She's so determined and ready to take any risk for those that she loves, but she doesn't want to involve herself in anyone else's problems. That doesn't stop her heart from softening when they land up in Avalon and she somehow does end up helping everyone though she doesn't want to at first.

“Tamsin, you don’t have thick skin, you have armor,” Neve said. “And while armor can stop some blows, it also means that no one ever really gets to see who you are beneath it.”
“That’s not true,” I protested, feeling my heart batter my ribs.
“After a while, they all stop trying, don’t they?” she continued. “They think you’re indifferent to them. They get tired of the negative takes. And what does that give you? A sense of safety? Or does it leave you with nothing at all?”

The book is a bit slower in the first half as we're introduced to everything and slowly find out things along with Tamsin and the others. The world building is a mix of modern and fantasy as they travel between different places, but it really picks up the pace after Tamsin, Cabell, Emrys and Neve land in Avalon. There's a lot of Arthurian lore tied into this and I loved how everything slowly unfolded. The slow development of the romance between Tamsin and Emrys was another thing that I loved and I'm very invested in this now 😆 The last few chapters were so exciting and omg after that ending I wanted book two immediately! Guess I'll have to wait 😩

Anyway this was a solid opener for a new series with the perfect mix of adventure, mystery and a sprinkling of romance and I'd highly recommend this one if you're looking to start a new YA fantasy series!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Alexandra Bracken for providing me with an eARC of this book. This is my honest review.
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If it’s an Arthurian retelling, I’m reading it! 🗣️ And Silver in the Bone was such a nice surprise! I can’t say much without jumping into spoiler territory, but I loved that this book took aspects of Arthurian legend that we don’t often see in retellings. It gave the story of feeling of familiarity while still delivering something new.
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The Lark siblings were so easy to root for. I immediately wanted to protect them both at all costs. Something about sibling love just hits so much for me. They’ve been through so much together! 😭 I like that the romance between Emrys and Tamsin is a slow build. I look forward to seeing how that goes in the rest of the series 👀 I also really enjoyed some of the characters we meet in Avalon. I get too attached! Again I can’t say much, but my heart is in tatters 😂
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I loved Bracken’s world building 🤌🏽 Not only did she come through with a different interpretation of Avalon and all its dynamics, but the mortal human world was equally as exciting. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love the idea of magic hunter-esque societies. The idea of Hollowers and how they operate was so fascinating to me. And the back story between the priestesses and the sorceresses! The exposition didn’t weigh down the story at all. I can’t wait to see and learn more 🙌🏽
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Silver in the Bone was an exciting read and a great way to kick off a new series. The Arthurian aspects were wonderful. Was the arc a bit predictable? Maybe, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I look forward to reading the rest of the series as it comes out! If you’re looking for twists on Arthurian legend, a strong FMC, and a sprinkling of enemies to lovers, you’ll definitely want to give this a shot! It is available for purchase in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook format.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I did opt to listen to the final production audiobook via my library. This is a bit on the longer side, the print book is just under 500 pages and the audiobook comes in just under 18 hours. Sophie Amoss did a great job with the narration. She tried to give each character a unique voice so you can tell who is who when there is dialogue and she also did a good job conveying emotion throughout the book.

This is the first book in a new YA fantasy focusing on Aurthurian legend and lore. I'm a sucker for anything related to King Arthur and Avalon and the many people and places often mentioned in the stories so this was a fun read. This follows Tamsin as she quests to find a lost ring that will hopefully cure her brother from a curse he's be plagued with all his life. She is also searching for her guardian who abandoned them years ago searching for the very same ring. There is a catch though, Tamsin unlike the other members of her order doesn't have magic and she isn't the only one searching for the ring. To have the best chance at finding the ring Tamsin will have to team up with unlikely allies to save her beloved brother and herself. In doing so she finds herself breaking down her carefully crafted walls in order to save her new team and a dying world.

This is a solid first book. It does leave off on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I kept expecting that so I can't say I'm too surprised by the ending. The book ends with alot of unanswered questions, but it does set us up nicely for book two. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and I'm anxious to find out what happens next. I really loved all of the lore and legend that Bracken wove into the story. There are alot of characters to keep track of and quite a few different plotlines to keep straight. This is complex and is action packed; the fight scenes do get a little dark and gory. There is some character development happening, but we are still missing alot of the backstory on many of the characters. I suspect we will get to know more about Tamsin's origins as well as the other characters in the next book. We see the most growth from Tamsin, which makese sense as she is the main character and she really makes alot of growth trusting the people around her and beginning to care about others. The world building was really well done. Bracken did a great job crafting a fantasy world that I don't want to spoil.

I found parts of this to be fairly predictable but it didn't make it any less enjoyable. Part of the reason I enjoy YA fantasy is because it is fun and I know what to expect. The tropes are familiar and I keep coming back for more. I think they really work well here and I can't wait to find out what happens next. This is a fun new take on the legend of Avalon and King Arthur and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on book 2.

I really kind of liked the first third or so, but then I quickly became disinterested in the story around the time they got to Avalon. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I think most of the disinterest came from me just not connecting with the writing style. A lot of this feels rather like a questing book, which I just don't really like in general, so that's not really the book's fault.

The worldbuilding also confused me a bit too. I was totally convinced this was set in an alternate fantasy world, but then "Egypt" was mentioned about a fourth of the way through the book, which through off my entire perception about what type of world the characters were living in. I think this could have benefitted from a bit more explanation around the world to clear up some confusing points like that.

I think there's an audience that will enjoy this book, but unfortunately, that audience is not me.

Unfortunately, this wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't quite finish the whole book because I wasn't enjoying myself, and life is too short to read things you aren't enjoying.

This is probably completely a me thing, and I can see the appeal for other readers. I've learned from this that I don't really like fantasy set in more modern times or in our real world. Parts of this take place in places like New Orleans and other parts of the U.S. and world as a whole. There are cell phones and other modern amenities. I just wasn't feeling this.

The main character annoyed me to no end. This isn't out of the ordinary for me, but this one seemed worse than others. She's just quite rude with no real reason to be. I get that we want strong female characters in books, but that doesn't mean that they have to be rude or make stupid decisions because they think they never need help.

I have nothing against the writing itself or the idea for the book. Both are fine. There are some interesting ideas here, and I wish I was more on board for it. I would probably still say give it a try if the premise sounds interesting and you like books like this. There are a lot of people giving it great reviews, and I really wish I was one of them.

Tamsin sets off on a quest to find The Ring of Dispel, which could hold the answers she desperately seeks in order to break her brothers curse. Unfortunately, she is not the only hollower in search of the ring and a race to the ring ensues. When her quest lands her in the Isles of Avalon, she realizes things are much more dire than they first seemed. Plopped down in an Arthurian nightmare Tamsin and her rag tag group of friends try to uncover the secrets of the isle before it is too late and the curse of the Isle claims them!

Wow, what a ride! I enjoyed this book so much. The setting, the magic system, and the characters were all developed so wonderfully. If you are looking for a fantasy book that focuses more on friendship, camaraderie, and adventure, look no further. I will preface by the saying that the pacing through the middle slows a bit, laying foundation for a pretty eventful ending. I will say Bracken has me invested and can’t wait to read book two and hopefully get some of my questions answered!

Special Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for gifting me with an ARC!!

This book started out slow for me, but the last 100 pages or so really sold me on it, and I am so excited for book 2. Tamsin is a prickly protagonist, but it makes sense, and while she is prickly, I still liked being inside her head and following her. The world-building/lore was easy to understand, and I liked the Arthurian connection/basis, but with its own world on top of it. I also really appreciated that this book has consequences - to the point where I kept expecting something to be reversed in the end because "well a lot of YA fantasy books have things get magically fixed" and it doesn't, which was really nice (even if in the back of my mind I was wondering how much I could trust).
I would say this book is totally worth it, but don't DNF it if it seems slow. It does take awhile to have all the pieces fall into place, but it is definitely worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I throughly enjoyed this story, I was engaged from start to finish. I thought the cast of characters were likable and I enjoyed then main characters POV. The romance is light in this book which is nice as I felt it gave the plot the time to shine. I’m usually not a huge fan of Round Table retellings but this was quite good. I liked how it mixed the real world in with Avalon.

I would recommend this book to any YA fantasy lover. I cannot wait to read book two!

I was sold when Silver in the Bone was slated as influenced by Arthurian Legend!

I know people have hot takes when it comes to urban fantasy, but i've always really enjoyed it. I love how the characters were slowly introduced and as you go...you grasp the world building right alongside the main character. The search for mythical objects and the fight to break a deadly curse was done really well.

I felt like even though this is Urban fantasy, majority of the book is set in a mythical cursed city so it does still have that darker fantasy feel with a cast of creepy deadly creatures. The main character is prickly and unlikeable but I enjoyed her and her interactions with the supporting cast. I LOVE LOVED the romantic love interest. The proclamation was so incredibly sweet and I cannot wait to see where that leads. I am invested!

The middle is where it slowed and I thought the pacing was off BUT BUT BUT the last 25% was SO GOOD. It was full of plot twists and reveals AND ACTION! There are so many new avenues to explore heading into a book 2! I think overall the book just kept getting better and I do love when a YA feels truly YA and I could recommend this to all ages.

I will definitely be reading the sequel!

Overall this was a really enjoyable read!

I will lead by saying that my experience with this was kind of inconsistent. Sometimes I felt enamored with the plot, lore & magic, and others I felt myself losing a lot of interest. The number one reason for this is likely that I didn’t really care deeply about many of the characters (aside from Neve who I loved!). That being said, the story itself was still quite engrossing.

If you’re expecting something really deeply rooted in Arthurian myth, I also think it’s important to mention that the Arthurian aspect of this was quite loose. We have a magical realm version of Avalon, but everything else feels quite removed from Arthur and his round table. This isn’t a pro or a con, just something to set expectations.

The threat facing Avalon was absolutely frightening and made for some impactful battle scenes, which Bracken writes expertly. While I found myself a bit frustrated with Tamarin’s push and pull routine, I do believe that Bracken wrote her hurts and traumas with a lot of care and complexity, and her talent shows in this. Tam sun and Emrys had a fun dynamic, and I can see a lot of readers liking Emrys especially, even though he didn’t resonate much for me.

I think what really managed to suck me in was the lore and magic, and how the little found family bands together to try and save Avalon. And then… there’s THAT ENDING. I don’t know if I’ve ever been slapped with so many devastating events at once. The last 100 pages had me suspended in a state of shock and disbelief, and the way all of these events were written by Bracken just hit SO hard.

Overall, I think I will likely continue this series, but it also doesn’t stand out to me as one I will remember for very long. Thank you to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for the eArc of this title!

Absolutely in love with this! I am so stunned by the ending, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!