For some reason I wasn't quite prepared for the vibes of this book. It was a little destabilizing: it was both very young YA, in certain ways, and incredibly dark and more adult-seeming in other ways. I suppose the premise should have prepared me for this, but for some reason it didn't. In the end, I felt like the world-building/cosmology behind the supernatural elements in this world were slightly under-baked, while the central relationship was overdone.

*Actual rating is 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4.*

This book was so complex and atmospheric and I was invested basically from the start. This book is very character driven, and the character work done in this novel is exquisite. The characters are so complicated and you can love and hate them all at once. It also takes a very close look at the pains of growing up and losing what you held dearest as a child, which is a theme/topic I've been gravitating towards a lot lately. This book made me feel so much and if you need a book to give you a good cry this will do that.

Onto some of what kept this from being a perfect read for me, because it was pretty dang close. Some of the world-building is a little clunky and some of the magic isn't really every thought through or explained. This mostly does not interfere with the story, because this story is so close that the fact that some of the magic and world isn't fully explained doesn't block any of the reading experience or the characters' journeys. The other thing that made me bump this down a little was that there is a weird chunk from around 20% to 40% that the pacing feels very strange, but other than that little dip the pacing works really well.

Overall, this book delivers a very bittersweet tale of the loss of childhood and the pains of growing up through a truly gothic atmosphere that captivates from start to finish.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Dully, she wondered if this was what heartbreak felt like—looking into the eyes of someone she’d spent her whole life memorizing and finding nothing recognizable left over in their depths.”

I went into this story with a vague idea of what the plot was, something about a trio of friends and a sacrifice that had to be made to keep the monsters away. I am not usually a horror reader, but the hype for this book drew me into it, and oh boy, I was blown away.

The writing was incredible it was so delicate and focused on the characters but also truly horrifying when it came to the monsters and what was happening outside of Willow Heath. It was so visual it made me feel like I was watching a movie, it made me feel just like the first time I watched Coraline.

If you love gothic horror (even if it’s just the vibes) this is the book for you.

I want to thank @coloredpagesbt and @scholastic for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book was dark, twisty, unsettling, and wonderful. Wyatt has been called back to her father's estate after his death, and is instantly reminded of her summers here with Peter and James. Especially after she finds Peter hung by his arms in the basement....what?? What on earth did her father really do here?

Always to keep the horrors of the Forest at bay, bones and blood were used to set wards around the property. But with Wyatt's father gone the wards began to crumble, and creatures of the dark fought their way in.

As Wyatt reconnects with Peter and who she thinks is James, everything around them continues to crumble until they reach a point of no return - end it, or let the darkness consume the world. This was so deeply emotional and dark, and just really hit in the right places.

Wyatt, Peter, and James are the typical trio of friends, with a twist. Their summers were spent getting into mischief until Wyatt left the property for good. When she returns home and discovers that Peter has been chained up in the basement, all the secrets of their childhood are revealed. Rituals, darkness, and magic intertwine with friendship and romance.

The premise of this book was so intriguing and the cover is so beautiful, but I could not stay engaged in the story. I worked on this book in small chunks, often not even able to finish a complete chapter at a time before losing interest.

As I await my physical copy that requires several annotating sessions, I thought I would tell you about this exquisite book. There were times when I started reading that I had to stop and process what I just read, how can it be, how can things happen in that certain way...it's true, we get the information in time, not right away, but I felt it was more fun this way, it aligned with the actions of our MCs and with their deepest secrets. Though the twist was only half expected *gasp* that phone *end gasp* it was still shocking to know, I loved how there were so many points that indicated what happened with a certain character.
I loved their friendship and their romantic inclinations, enjoyed their banter and their quiet moments; a big part of the story was so full of longing and dark desperate secrets, it's been a long time since I awaited the next chapter or part of the characters story with my breath held 🖤
THAT ENDING WAS PHENOMENAL!!!

This was gritty and dark. It kind of reminds me of a mix between the first season of The Magicians and Hocus Pocus. There's even a character called the beast, and if he doesn't almost make you pee your pants then I don't know what will. Perhaps, the words that things are scuttling or clicking in the dark. Try, meat suit.

The writing was amazing, but I was left with too many questions regarding lore and origins. I just felt missing. and I think it would have added a lot to the story. I felt that ending was a bit lackluster, but the writing was beautiful and haunting.

Your Blood, My Bones is by a new to me author. I was completely drawn in by the cover and the premise of the story. The story, while not perfect, is engaging and had me hooked from the beginning when Wyatt comes home after the death of her father, and wants to burn the entire place to the ground. But Peter is not only chained in her basement, he has tree roots growing around his bindings. Confused as to why he is there our journey begins as Wyatt discovers the secrets her father kept and discovers more about the boy who was her first love.

Wyatt, Peter and James roamed the property of Willow Heath thick as thieves every summer until Wyatt turned thirteen and was taken away, not to return for five years. Estranged from her father, living with her mother, she hasn’t seen or heard from Peter or James in all that time, that is until she returns to the property to find Peter in chains and James on the end of a dead rotary phone saying he will be there soon to help. This was a story doomed from the beginning and even though you know that I couldn’t help walking the journey with the characters, learning of their past together as Willow Heath’s wards start to fail and the creatures from the darkness start to wander the grounds.

Inosculation, where the trunks of multiple trees grew so close together that they grafted into one. That was them, he’d thought , only half listening to the lecture.

He, Peter, and Wyatt, their roots so intricately knotted that none of them could tell where one of them ended and the other began.

Kelley Andrew wrote a character driven story about three people and Willow Heath, that is definitely its own character in the story. I was wrapped up in it as the walls come tumbling down and Wyatt discovers the magic of her bloodline and why her family has sacrificed, ritually sacrificed, Peter time and time again. This is the first time he has been allowed to grow past boyhood and now a young man with understanding of his plight he has one goal. He wants to make it home, to the place he fell through, where his mother is. To do that, he is supposed to sacrifice the thing he loves most, Wyatt. He wasn’t able to do it when they were children, but can he do it now?

I would call this horror-lite. There are some creepy things in the woods, Wyatt is definitely trapped on the property with Peter and the beast is going to come to call soon. But even the horror aspect, this was so intriguing how the land and the creatures were used. The dark is a tricky place and while Peter understands what is out there in it, Wyatt is at a loss and is learning some lessons the hard way.

“You can’t run from the things you fear. Instead, sit with them a while. Look them in the eye. You will find they are not as big as they seem, and you are not as small as you thing.”

I knew that in the end we might not get the ending I was hoping for and I’m still a little torn on the ending. But we did get an ending that was unexpected and I really like when an author can surprise me. I enjoyed the past present story telling and how some of it seemed almost dreamlike. The relationship between Wyatt, Peter and James was as complicated as they probably come but I was never bored with it and in the end they were friends first and foremost and would never leave one of them behind voluntarily.

“He could have told her she was dead wrong — that he’d studied her for so long, for so many years, that he knew her like a sailor knew the sea. That he felt the shifts in her moods the way a lightkeeper’s knees ached before a storm.”

If you are looking for something with paranormal aspects, a slow burn type of romance, coming of age with magic and the bonds of friendships forged in childhood that last into early adulthood this could be exactly what your are looking for. Peter, Wyatt and James are not perfect people but they understand each other and accept all of the perfections and flaws people have in each other.

There are some cameos from a few of Kelly Andrew’s book The Whispering Dark. I have not read that book and understood that there was probably some history to the characters I wasn’t privy to but it wasn’t necessary to read or enjoy this story. It did make me want to take a look at that book after reading Your Blood, My Bones as I am extremely interested in the world that has been created and more stories set in it. I’d also love to see Wyatt again in the future to check up on a new favorite character.

All those years wondering what a real kiss from Peter might taste like, and now she knew. He tasted like a tragedy. An end, before they’d even begun.

Please excuse me for being a week late posting this review because I couldn’t stop ugly-crying after Kelly Andrew ripped my heart out with the ending of Your Blood, My Bones.

Wow.

Between Your Blood, My Bones and her debut, The Whispering Dark, Kelly Andrews is officially an auto-buy author for me now.

Your Blood, My Bones tells the story of Wyatt, a “witch” and heir to a creepy cultish legacy, who returns to her childhood home intent on burning it and the memories she had there, only to realize those “memories” (ahem, Pedyr and James) have come back to haunt her in a way she wasn’t expecting.

Trust me when I say Your Blood, My Bones is the cottagecore horror-romance Peter Pan retelling you didn’t know you needed. The angst between Wyatt (Wendy), Pedyr (Peter Pan), and James (Captain Hook) is perfection, all packaged in gorgeous, visceral prose that will make you want to read this book simply for how pretty the writing is.

A haunting collection of memories, nightmares, and longing Your Blood, My Bones hurt my soul a little. It was such a thriller yet with a bittersweet ending that you just cannot stop thinking about long after you close the pages.

Pedyr (Peter), I greatly feel for him throughout this book. How even though he knows the end, and knows what he should do he still always puts Wyatt first. My heart ached for him so much and I just wanted to wrap his coldness up in a big blanket.

With Wyatt Westlock… watching her tangle with Pedyr and James, her family history, and what haunts the lands makes her just so brave and strong in my opinion.

This book although dark and haunting, was so beautifully written. Kelly Andrew did such a gorgeous job of not only setting the tragic scene but also making you easily fall in love with the darkness of the characters. The ending is heart-poundingly sorrowful. This book will definitely stick with me for a while.

The setting and world-building in "Your Blood, My Bones" are so immersive that they become integral characters in the story. Reading this book at night may have you instinctively reaching for extra light switches to dispel the eerie ambiance that lingers. Andrew's talent for creating a palpable sense of dread is nothing short of masterful.

While the romance in the story is a slow burn, it's one that will ignite your emotions. The connection between Wyatt and Peter is not explicit, but the emotional depth and intensity of their relationship will have you awash in feelings. It's a romance that's as much about anticipation and tension as it is about love.

What truly sets this novel apart is its unparalleled uniqueness. The plot is a rich tapestry of mystery and supernatural elements that are expertly interwoven. As you read, you'll find yourself on an extraordinary journey, one that defies conventions and explores narrative territory that's both fresh and exciting. Andrew's ability to blend romance, suspense, and supernatural horror while keeping the narrative innovative is a testament to her storytelling brilliance.

Overall, "Your Blood, My Bones" is a literary gem that you won't want to miss. It's a book that will leave you breathless, on the edge of your seat, and reluctant to part with its haunting characters and mesmerizing story. You'll find it impossible not to sing its praises, and its influence will linger in your thoughts for an extended period. This debut novel is a literary masterpiece that redefines genre-defying storytelling, and Kelly Andrew is undoubtedly an author to watch.

“𝘋𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦—𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘩𝘴.”

This hauntingly beautiful book was a breathtaking masterpiece! Even though I feel a little like my heart was ripped out, I absolutely loved it. Kelly Andrew truly embraces the art of storytelling. She’s not a writer so much as she is a weaver of words. She creates the most vivid experience for readers. I can barely put my words together for this review, I almost feel speechless. Nothing I say will truly do this justice, my talent is reading not writing. But let me just tell you this book made me feel ALL the emotions. I can’t recommend this enough. If you are a fan of cottagecore or cozy horror I highly recommend you pick up this book right now!!

I am in awe of this. My heart has been left broken and bleeding and I would do it again just to experience this beautiful, disturbing, tragic, & emotional story again and again. This was truly exceptional! I will always always read anything by this author.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺. 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵.”
I can’t even tell you how much I enjoyed this book! And the cover is just so gorgeous, it’s beautiful on my shelves right next to my copy of The Whispering Dark!

Another day, another book about creepy forests and heartbreak. I'll eat it up every time. This book was so so good. Wyatt felt like a real girl. Her range of emotions was so large and realistic. I honestly lived that she wasn't calm and collected the entire time. She was just a girl doing her best to deal with her shitty family legacy.

I loved the narrative of Wyatt, Peter, and James' friendship. Three kids forced together every summer who eventually became so intertwined that their bonds are unbreakable. It added another layer of tragedy to their story. Peter and Wyatt broke my heart. There was so much angst and internal struggle for both of them. Peter's whole life story was so heartbreaking. Watching he and Wyatt find each other again on the cusp of the end of the world crushed my heart. I wanted them to win so bad.

This is the third creepy forest book I've read this year with an ending like this and I cry every time. Such a great bo0k and such a great story.

3.5/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic | Scholastic Press for the e-copy. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.

This is a darkly seductive tale woven with themes of childhood nostalgia and coming of age. Set against a backdrop of gothic vibes and twisted romance, it follows Wyatt as she grapples with the death of her father and returns to her childhood home. Once there, she has the unsettling discovery of her childhood friend, Peter, bound and trapped in a cycle of ritualistic deaths on her family's property. Weird, right? As dark forces gather and ancient secrets come to light, the two must navigate a treacherous path together, bound by circumstance and fate. Wyatt realized that her idyllic childhood wasn't quite the same for her two friends.

This book has nods to the Peter Pan story, which is something that I loved. While the story captivates with its gothic atmosphere and intriguing characters, I thought that the pacing was uneven at times, with certain moments feeling drawn out. Additionally, the incorporation of guest appearances from "The Whispering Dark" characters felt like it just detracted from the overall focus and removed me from the story.

Overall this delivers a bittersweet tale of childhood love and darkness, blending elements of gothic horror and fantasy to create a compelling story.

hank you so much to the publisher, netgalley and colored pages blog tours for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!!

another fantasy horror that makes me enjoy horror even tho i hate horror movies 😱😂
i wasn't expecting the dual POV or how stubborn the MCs are or how the trip down memory lane would impact me as much as it did. the setting was amazing, the supernatural element was soooo well done i was legit scared at some point. despite the fact sometimes it could come as something obvious, the way the MC discovered things left me reeling because nobody deserves to find out stuff like that.
i really enjoyed it tbh, wasn't expecting much but ended up with a bloddy and horror story mixed with teenage summers and a small romance that made me smile a few times. i can't wait to see what the author comes out with next.

A great horror story for Twilight fans, Your Blood, My Bones twists the enemies to lovers ( and vice versa) genre and makes it more complex than the ones I have read before.
Wyatt Westlock has one plan for the farmhouse she’s just inherited and that’s to burn it down. But when he arrives, she finds Peter, one of the two boys she grew up with, tied up by vines in the basement. This is just the latest in the series of ritualistic murders Peter has suffered from Wyatt’s family. Though she does not know the events, their entire childhood is tainted by these rituals. She also doesn’t know there is only one way for him to truly kill him—he must kill her. And Peter is ready to truly die. Can Wyatt and their childhood friend James save her life? Or is she fated to be killed by one of the men she loves?
This a great book for adult Twilight fans. While there isn’t a true triangle, the three main characters are embedded in each other. The immortal, the girl with secret powers, and the other guy is--- I don’t want to spoil it. The biggest difference is that it is well written, Kelly Andrew does a few too many flashbacks with some holes but overall, the novel holds up well. I was pleased with the ending. It was emotional after the buildup as sacrifices were made. There is true horror in the book, something the Twilight Saga lacks. Each new chapter included something more frightening than before. The emotional and horror elements are balanced well.
This is a creepy story that looks at relationships, what life and death truly are, and how your memories don’t always tell the whole story. Your Blood, My Bones is a must for horror and supernatural fiction fans.

**Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4-4.5)**
*Your Blood, My Bones* is the **moody, spring, paranormal thriller that I didn’t know I was looking for! The story follows Wyatt Westlock who inherits her family’s ancient farm she left behind years ago. Upon her return to the farm to burn it to the ground and leave that part of her behind forever, she is thrown of course when she finds her childhood best friend Peter chained up in the abandoned farmhouse basement. Peter, it turns out, is an immortal being who has been repeatedly murdered by Wyatt’s family in a ritual that serves to protect the family farm from dangerous creatures that haunt the woods. Peter has no hope to escape except to end the Westlock family line—in other words, he needs to kill one of the only friends he’s ever had. Wyatt and Peter need to decide if they can trust one another enough to figure out how to stop the evil forces converging on the farm, and more importantly, if they can find another way to end the cycle without either of them ending up dead.

>> What I loved: The vibes of this book are immaculate—atmospheric, creepy, a bit grotesque, but in a beautiful and chilling sort of way. I was invested in all of the characters and their relationships, which felt very complicated and real. The multiple POV perspective also really worked for me in this book so we could see flashbacks and current events from different angles. I also felt like this was a fast-paced read, though I did see some of the major plot points coming at different points along the way.
>> What I didn’t love: There were a few places where it felt like we were “killing time” a bit in the narrative which felt like it took away from the overall strength of the book. Without spoilers, I think I would have liked a little more at the end to flesh out some of the relationships and people’s feelings more. I’m normally not very picky about “plot holes” in mysteries and thrillers (I think it’s totally fine for not everything to be clearly explained), but there is a particular moment in the second half of the book (again, no spoilers) involving Peter that I think needed a little more explanation.

*Your Blood, My Bones* is a haunting, moody, and captivating book that I would strongly recommend to any young adult and adult readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries and thrillers. This was my first book by Kelly Andrews and I look forward to reading her other books in the future!

**Acknowledgments & Disclaimers**
✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Kelly Andrew, and Scholastic, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book.
✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

Kelly Andrew has done it again. Your Blood, My Bones is a book that I will never forget about. It's dark, tense and mysterious and I loved every second of it. From the first page of the book itself, you get a vibe of what the story will be; this first page will have you hooked and trust me when I say, you're not going to want to stop reading this. I finished this at night and honestly, the writing style and the way things were described gave me the chills. The writing is so beautiful and so good; it is spine-chilling and pulls you into the darkness, immersing you in a tale that will you reeling and breathless. And the pacing?? Incredible. I think things happen at just the right time, without being too slow or too fast and that just made this book so much more fun to read.

Wyatt was such an incredible character; sorry to Lane from The Whispering Dark but she is my favourite now. I am telling you, it was so easy to find myself drawn to her. Plus her dynamic with Peter? I loved it. It was so well-done and really showed the estrangement of two best friends, plus the fact that Peter knows he has to secretly kill Wyatt just adds layers to this relationship.

The ending tho....that one was a definite tearjerker. I was definitely not expecting it to go the way it went and really, it was just heartbreaking. Of course, I loved it.

Your Blood, My Bones is the kind of suspenseful read that I will be sure to revisit during the spooky season. I highly recommend everyone reads this book, if you haven't already!

I absolutely loved this book! The storyline was dark and unique. I really enjoyed watching it unfold.

Peter's character was so interesting to lean about. I felt so bad for him and everything he went through. What a dark and tragic past he had. I could feel his pain and hate, yet also his struggle when it came to his feelings for Wyatt. The one person he was closest to, yet was also his worst enemy.

Wyatt was also a great character, and again, I liked how complex the characterization was. There was nothing simple about either of their lives. The history and present were all very complicated and twisted. Just as the land and magical happening were.

Just all in all, great storytelling ans writing. I haven't read the authors other book yet, but after reading this one, I'll be getting to it very soon! Very excited to see what else this author has in store.

So I ended up reading the Whispering Dark first so it gave me a really good introduction to Kelly’s writing and plot but Your Blood, My Bones knocked me out of the PARK.

I described this to a friend as if I was watching a cinematic masterpiece horror movie. Like it was…it was beautiful. The writing, the desperation, the terror I felt reading this book. Holy shit.

Peter, Wyatt and James grab a hold of your heart and don’t let go, and won’t let you go - not even after finishing.

This was a wild ride, start to finish. I genuinely am still not even sure what actually ended up happening - I don’t think things were fully explained or made much sense as to WHY Peter was the way he was, or how it was resolved at the end. So I’m taking a star away for that confusion/lack of clarity.

This author is going to become an auto buy for me though. The best writing I’ve read in a long long time. Well done!!