At first I like the heroine, then I didn't. There was too much detail to where I just got so bored I stopped reading, I didn't care about what her outfit looked like that much. She saves her brothers life and he's life a friendly zombie I loved her and his name! but that was over in the first half and the book and then nothing happens for the rest until the ending which left me very confused because there was no romance and then she's with a boy out of nowhere and I was left like...What? I give this book 1.5 to 2 stars because I'm not really sure how I feel.

It is so hard to say I wasn't at least slightly disappointed in this book. And who knows, maybe that is my own fault. This premise had such sweet sweet promise. My expectations were high. And I have read previous books by Rin Chupeco before and really enjoyed them. I wouldn't go as far as to say I did not enjoy The Bone Witch, but it definitely did not live up to my high expectations.
 
The jumps between a young Tea discovering what she is and the current Tea in exile was initially intriguing to me. I wanted to know how this small, rather timid young girl found herself in such an interesting place. Honestly, most of my issue was with the very slow movement of things for, well, most of the book. While I found parts of young Tea's journey in the beginning interesting, her as a character was not the most engaging. Her true appeal to me more often than not was her power, which was a little of a let down in itself as we rarely got to see her wield it. Her power and the world Chupeco created was really fantastic, as were the stories and quirks of some of the side characters, like Lady Mykeala. 
 
I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. But in the end I can't help but think maybe if the characters (namely Tea) were just a bit more compelling, or maybe if there were a few more twists or bursts of something exciting or gripping amidst the sometimes painstaking descriptions of everything. Always a MAYBE IF. If that something more, something special, something charming happened more than this book could really be something pretty amazing. It had its moments, but I'm not quite sure those moments evened the rest of the waiting for that something special truly worth it. I think I would give the next book a try. I still, after everything, see so much potential here. It would be amazing to see this story really develop in the way I hope it will. I am prepared to still hold on to that hope a little while longer.   

I received an ARC of this book from SOURCEBOOKS Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Tea discovers she is a bone witch when she accidentally raises her brother from the dead at his funeral. Mykaela, another bone witch, happens to be in the area at the time. Mykaela takes Tea and Fox, her brother, to the Willows to train to become a dark asha. The world of ashas is different from anything Tea has known, and she has a lot to learn beyond just her official classes.

Being the first in a series, it felt like the book ended just when it was starting to get good. Some parts of the story held my interest better than others, but overall I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to find out what happens in the next installment. I thought the concept of heartsglass in the book was neat.

I couldn't bring myself to finish this book.

The very first page of this book had me rolling my eyes. There are two perspectives in this book, one from young Tea as she tells her tale of how she started her journey as a witch and the other from some bard who seeks her out when she’s seventeen, living in exile on some beach (in a nicely furnished cave.) The book starts out with the bard glorifying her beauty (including her “pert nose”…), her incredible power and her special snowflakeness all before she turned eighteen. So basically, I hated Tea from the start. I know plenty of other genres have clichés like this, but they seem to manage to pull it off with more subtlety.

Despite wanting to chuck Tea off a cliff (also, come on, her sisters are all named for flowers and her brother is Fox, but she’s Tea?!) I did my best to keep an open mind as I dove into the seemingly complex magical world Chupeco created. But while Chupeco created a vast world with culturally diverse countries and what’s probably a lot of history, I found the world and the characters boring as all hell.

When Tea raises her brother from the dead it was pretty low impact, but the fact that this was her type of magic held some potential for me. Fox is the most human zombie I’ve ever encountered and also the most uninteresting one. Neither he nor Tea seemed to suffer any hardship despite Tea’s young age and ignorance to her own powers at the time. An older witch just comes along and takes them away so Tea can start her geisha-er-asha training. Also reanimated corpses cast no shadows…because reasons (like what even? Actual dead bodies would cast a shadow…). Maybe the last 25% of the book gave some explanation for this, but I doubt it.

Anyway, there’s very little of Tea’s cool powers in this book. It’s mostly her training to become an asha, who is really just a geisha with magic powers that no one ever seems to use. They dress in complicated clothing very much like kimonos (we hear endlessly about what everyone is wearing down to fabric colors and trim and stitching and other super special details and omg shut up), even down to the artwork and fabric choices being intentional and meaningful (granted, I don’t truly understand how asha clothing was meaningful in this book or how it impacted their powers or the plot or anything). They have singing, dancing and instrument lessons, on top of magical fighting classes. They entertain rich people in tea houses and show off their witty banter and political knowledge and they even have patrons. I actually just wanted to stop reading the book and re-read Memoirs of a Geisha because it’s more interesting.

But before Tea can practice becoming a geisha-er-asha, she’s forced to be a common maid in the house of one of the powerful old asha, because even though Tea’s powers are rare and useful, she is despised for no reason and must be punished for existing. Essentially everything I read was her being a maid or training, with little interludes from the bard talking about how sexy and dark and unusual and awesome and different and special older Tea is.

The other significant part of this story revolves around the heartstones everyone wears. I really have no friggen clue what they are. But everyone wears them around their necks and they change colors with their feelings. But you can give yours to the one you love (and receive them as well) but then that could give them control over you? And one of Tea’s sisters keeps giving hers away to different boys and so gets new ones and that seems to be no big deal, but then Heartforgers have to make new ones for people and they require random memories from other people and they’re expensive? So then where is Tea’s sister getting her new hearts? Witches have different hearts and falling in love can be dangerous but then, YOUR ACTUAL HEART DOESN’T CONTAIN OR CONTROL YOUR FEELINGS so why aren’t they brainstones? Ugh.

I’ll end this rant with some descriptions (remember Tea’s “pert nose!”) that had me groaning:

“She was young, in the way a woman of 60 might carefully tuck away the years around her to appear 20.” What!?

Our handsome prince has eyes like “gentle emeralds.” What even?

A monster was “fat and corpulent.” LOL

Something else (I forget if it was a monster or her dress or what) was “as black as shadows, as bright as stars.” K, thanks, bye.

Finally, I could take no more of boring Tea and her boring training and the vague hints of her supposedly awesome powers from our buddy the bard. I wanted more dead things coming back to life and a dark, troubled heroine who actually proved how cool she was. I’ve changed how I feel about DNFing books and I’ve found that it’s liberating to be free of a book that’s not giving me an ounce of enjoyment. At least Throne of (Gl)Ass was fun to make fun of! I have too many books to read and too little time to waste on ones I don’t enjoy. Sadly the premise didn’t live up to my expectations and after taking a peek at some of the reviews on Goodreads, it seems that FOR ONCE I’m not alone in this!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. Although it was confusing at times because it would switch between past and present, most of the story was told from the past, I found it interesting. I think it would have been better to not have the present in the book and just have the past told, then go into what happens next as the series unfolds. I did not like the ending at all, and I felt like it could have been written better. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will continue the series.

I really enjoyed The Bone Witch, the writing and imagery were absolutely gorgeous, and the characterization was fabulous. I loved Tea and her fierce independence, she was absolutely loyal to herself and those she knew would be loyal to her. She saw through everyone’s bullshit, and that was absolutely refreshing. I know this girl is going to make some giant mistakes, but she is going to make them trying to do the right thing which just makes my heart hurt for her.

The secondary characters that support Tea were well-rounded and dynamic. Her brother is just amazing, and the ending kind of ripped my heart out because I just need to know what happened between the two of them. And that is my biggest grievance with this book. The fact that it was all setup and foreshadowing. It bounces between the past and present, which generally doesn’t bother me but the fact that we didn’t get any answers does. The next book isn’t even going to be out til 2018, I generally do a better job of checking but I figured it would be in the next few months since this book was originally published in 2016. So I’m disappointed because I really want some answers, and I’m still a year or more out from that. The book does lose a star for me because of that, but I also know I’ll be re-reading this when the time comes and making sure I get the next book. 4 out of 5 stars.

Sometimes, a popular book comes out that everyone loves and I just don’t get. I’m used to those situations happening. But then, sometimes the opposite happens and a book that has been hyped up comes out to less favorable reviews, but I love it. That always shocks me. So, when I finished The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco and immediately thought FIVE STARS GREAT FANTASTIC, then checked goodreads to see the rating, I was flabbergasted. This was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and wanted more of.

Chupeco does tremendously well in framing the story between before and after. This is probably one of the most successful aspects of this book. It builds up the suspense and helps propel the plot forward. It kept me thrumming with anxiety as I saw the pages left to finish the book dwindle down while the two halves of the book were nowhere near close to connecting. Part of the book takes place after. After what? We can only guess the specifics but we know Tea was exiled. A bard finds her and she tells her tale to him while working on something that had me frightened, not only for what’s to come, but for her very sanity as well. The rest of the book is the story Tea is telling about her childhood, about how she got to the point she’s at by the end of the book. He story stops short of filling in all the gaps, which we’ll likely see more of in a sequel.

The story itself was well crafted, with a solid start to worldbuilding. We get the idea of these different cultures, social hierarchies, myths, etc. and how they influence everything, especially Tea’s story. Tea, a small town girl with big town magic, gets roped into becoming an Asha, almost like a magical geisha. She has to learn history, politics, song, dance, etc. all in order to provide stimulating conversation and entertainment to those that can afford it. But, Tea’s specialization requires even more of her. As she is a bone witch, she will also be in charge of defeating monsters that pop up periodically — a task only bone witches are capable of completing.

Now, this wouldn’t be a YA fantasy novel if it didn’t also include romance, which is hinted upon from the very beginning. I died because I was so intrigued by who it would be she fell in love with. I had my suspicions and I had my hopes and my suspicions won out, but my hope is still there! Trust me, you don’t want me to spoiler that because we literally do not get a name until the last page and it was SO WORTH IT.

Another thing that really sets The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco apart is the inclusion of people of color. I never once while reading felt that this was a world of white, which I absolutely loved and think we need more of, especially in fantasy. I mean, if we can have 3 headed dragons, why not a cast of diverse characters? Also, the addition of a potentially lgbtqa* character towards the end had me throwing my hands up in glee (at least, that’s how I read the character secret as).

There was only one part that did slow the book down — fashion descriptions. Yes, they may have been important in creating the story, but I honestly could not keep track of it all, nor did I make that big an effort to. It ended up becoming lines on a page to skim past.

Overall, The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco is a novel that I absolutely adored. It felt unique, had me connected to the characters and world, and now has me in agony waiting for the sequel to pop up. Such a lovely and refreshing YA book!

2.5 stars
*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

What did I think about this book... for starters, let me clear the air by saying (typing?) that this is not my kind of book. It is too descriptive and detail oriented for my tastes.
The world-building is absolutely amazing and their is a bit in the back which describes even more about countries, their rulers, and such. It truly is amazing.......but, being who I am all the building with little action made me bored.

OTHER POSITIVES:
I enjoyed how reminiscent the <b>ashakas </b>were of (at least what I know of) Geisha houses.
I thought some of the<b> relationships </b> were interesting, although I would have preferred more interaction between people, especially Fox and Tea.
The <b>magic system </b>was interesting as well as people's hearts (even if I don't completely understand it).

OTHER NEGATIVES:
<b>Romance</b>-- nonexistent, but there... so like insta-love, but it won't be and honestly, I wasn't surprised at the ending.
<b> I was confused </b>by a lot of the book. "You have [insert thing with Fox] yet?" with surprise and then turn around and say "Oh, you can do it after you are made an asha" ?????? what? And some people get new hearts all the time, just by doing the spell, but other times a whole new heart needs to be made.... <-- this one I probably just wasn't understanding.
<b>Pacing</b>: Slow, but honestly I wasn't bothered by it too much, what really got me was the <b>different narratives/ times switch </b> which completely jolted me out of the story. Is it mysterious? Yes. Is it informative? Not really, could do with 5 of them, not every chapter. I would notice myself getting somewhat drawn in and then the time would switch and I would get pulled out again.

In the end, the concept is interesting and the world building is phenomenal. I do see why people would like this book. Will I read the sequel? It is probable, because I see action coming, but I probably won't at the same time because it might still be slow to me.

You should try this book is you like details and being lost in a different world as well as not needing action or fighting, just an interesting tale, to keep you going.

This book made me want more. Not because it was lacking. Because it is well written and full of detail, action, suspense, and imagery that enveloped me into the story.

This is a book I would have loved as a girl and probably would have tried to find the wardrobe to match the different regions and people.

I so desperately wanted to love this book, but sadly I just couldn't finish it. As a writer myself, I can see where the author is coming from with the beautiful descriptions and writing style, but in the end I felt like it was trying too hard. I wanted more show, and less tell, so I could connect with the characters and world, instead of just imagine them clearly in my head.

This is definitely a book I want to finish one day, but I'm afraid it is a DNF for now.

Review copy was kindly provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rin Chupeco's The Bone Witch is a fantasy about a girl who accidentally discovers her powers when she brings her brother back to life. She is taken in by a bone witch for training, and her brother, Fox, becomes her zombie familiar of sorts. The story follows Tea's instruction from age twelve to about age fifteen? We get to see the "coven" in which she is raised and trained, the day-to-day life, the details of the clothes she and the other people wear, glimpses of the food, and all of the minute details that comprise Tea's education. In a way, this works, but it also drags the story out and often feels like nothing is happening. Most of the action happens in the first quarter of the book and the last quarter of the book, and the rest is mostly world building filler with a few minor conflicts that Tea has while learning how to utilize her powers.

The world building in this story draws heavily from Chinese influences, and this makes it different for me from any of the recent YA fantasy I've read. The atmosphere and setting are richly detailed, and everything is described so vividly, and I enjoyed that a lot. I also like that the main character's magical powers are necromancy. It's dark, and it's different from the soft and beautiful magic often reserved for female characters. I like that, and I want to see how that power grows and manifests itself as she ages. Fox is probably my favorite character, because who doesn't love a sidekick named Fox who is also a zombie and who also has an interesting personality?

After finishing this, I found myself wanting more, more to have happened and more to have been done with the story. The intertwining parts of a bard recounting his experiences with an asha (who is most likely Tea) in the future with the story of Tea in the past is very reminiscent of Rothfuss's Kvothe in The Name of the Wind, and I feel like this is like the younger end of the spectrum YA sibling to The Kingkiller Chronicles. The world Chupeco created is so grand and so vivid that I just wanted to see more of Tea's interaction with that world and within that world rather than descriptions of it, and I'm hoping that's what we'll get to read in the sequel.

A copy of this book was provided to me by Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for review; all opinions are my own.

Chupeco has done such an excellent job of creating a complete fantasy world, it's difficult for others to learn its ins and outs. Readers are kept guessing to the end and still don't quite feel like they've mastered the content. Perhaps it would be a bit less confusing to read a 'dead tree' copy where one can quickly discern the explanations and definitions at the end.

My apologies - this book was just not my taste. I do like fantasy = this one was just a bit too creepy for me so I was unable to finish it.

I found this book difficult to wrap my head around. Beautifully descriptive, almost too much for me.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t realize this was going to be a series but halfway into the book I started to get worried when nothing seemed to be happening. And sadly nothing really happens for the first three quarters of the book. Then as the end gets closer the story starts to pick up.

More time is spent describing what everyone is wearing, how they dance, or the jewels they wear. I was hoping for more action, more suspense.

I was pulled in with the first few chapters but then the plot seemed to slow to a crawl.

The characters were written well enough.

Rin chupeco' writing styles was great really descriptive! I love when I can really see what she is describing and I'm fully immersed but it still fell short of full enthralling me to the story.

Oh Bone Witch, where do I start? Where do I start….

I expected this book to be about a young woman who discovers her powers as a necromancer after accidentally raising her newly dead brother from his grave. I expected her to go on and learn to use her powers and have adventures along the way.

What I got was a book about geisha training.

Seriously. At least half of this book described all the lessons our heroine, Tea, had to endure on her road to becoming an Asha. (Asha = Geisha. They even sound similar.) During this large portion of the book very little happens. I wish I was kidding.

If I wanted to read a book about geisha’s, I would have read a book about geishas.

Now, all that said, there were a lot of good things about this book. You just have to wade through the boring geisha—sorry, Asha—lessons to get there.

For starters, this book is dual POV in a very unconventional way. We start with a nameless bard finding Tea on a seashore full of bones. He convinces her to tell the story of how she came to be there. The other POV is Tea, the Bone Witch on the beach, telling the bard the story of how she came to be there. So, that was cool.

I also really liked the lore in the book. I liked the idea of the False Prince and his Daeva (monsters that never truly die). I liked the magic and powers. I thought all that was developed nicely… it was just overshadowed by too much geisha-Asha mumbo-jumbo.

On the other hand, the “big twist” near the ending sort of came out of nowhere. There really wasn’t any direct build up for it and it took me a moment to figure out what the heck was really going on. There were clues throughout the story, but they read more like backstory than anything that was actually relevant. It was…. strange.

I also had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. The servant girls at the Asha house were pretty interchangeable in my head. I couldn’t tell you the name of most of the other characters either.

The very end of the book leads me to believe there may be a promising sequel. If the author can cut down on the training and get to the action, I think it could be a good book.

So, should you read it? If you are looking for a good dose of magic and action and adventure you will be sorely disappointed. If you are looking for an interesting and unique world and can look past long periods of nothing happening while our heroine goes through training, then you might just like this one. Oh, and if you’re really into geisha you’ll probably love it!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the advanced reading copy of Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. I can't wait to start this book. I am going to hold off though until I get a physical copy of this. I think I will enjoy it more that way.

This was a fantastically developed YA Fantasy with many diverse characters. Despite how well structured this novel was the plot took a while to get into. Rin Chupeco created a lot of descriptive detail which both helped and hindered the plot in my opinion.

The Asha's and their magic system was very engaging and detailed. I absolutely loved that this books world was formed around ancient Japanese culture. This is something I haven't read anything about previously and was very unique!