If you're planning on reading a quick and easy fantasy book: this one is for you.

This book is about Teagan, who follows her wife into the Shadow Realm. By doing so, she has to travel through multiple 'worlds' to find her again, facing challenges and monsters throughout the quest.
This is mainly what you should expect when starting the book, rather than a lot of action, fighting-wise.

Personally, I liked exactly that. Fantasy books usually go into depth about fighting and wars, while this book took you through what the world had to offer instead. This gave the novel a bit more of a soft fantasy feeling, to be enjoyed when you don't feel like getting into long backstories and tedious world-building. I've seen other reviewers criticize this aspect, but I felt it was more in-style this way. This book is not supposed to be worked out to the tiniest details, as it would make the book too intricate and confusing.

Then, onto what I liked less. The Shadow Princess is set into the story as an important character, who will change the fate of the main characters. I expected her to be more present in the story than she was made out to be, and I would have loved to see more of her. If this book had been longer, a second(/third, for Cressidae) point of view would have been amazing, since she seems like an intriguing character. I would have liked to hear more about her backstory and realm.

The ending also seemed a bit rushed and easily resolved. I'm not going to go into detail, but, again, this novel would have been better had it been longer. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I would recommend it if you're new to the fantasy scene, getting back into it, or are just looking for something to read and not have to pay too much attention to the plot. 4/5.

When I saw the words "sapphic Orpheus and Eurydice retelling" and this beautiful cover, I really got my hopes up. This was super disappointing, unfortunately. There was no world building at all, no atmosphere, very little discription given of the creatures in the story. I wasn't really able to connect with the characters either, they felt very flat to me. The main problem the characters faced was resolved within a matter of a few sentences by the villain going "ugh fine", then showing up at the end just to go "ugh fine" again. This one just didn't work out. Since this is the author's debut novel(la), I think I'd be willing to give their future works a try. (rtc on instagram soon)

This was a short, but very nice sapphic Orpheus and Eurydice retelling that has a lot of room to grow and improve. It felt more like a sequel to something and all the flashbacks could've easily been at the start of the book and the whole structure would then be different and perhaps a little better. It was pretty fast paced and easy to read, but the whole time something was missing. The way we got to know Teagan and Cressidae is through the flashbacks and the present day Cress isn't around until the later part of the book.

I loved the legend of the Shadow Princess and the new things the author added to make this retelling unique and fresh, but it all felt a little underdeveloped. If there were less flashbacks or some of them were moved to the beginning of the book, I feel like this would've been much better. The worldbuilding was also simple, with no real details. I would also like to know more about Teagan and Cressidae's powers.

After being bit by creature from the Shadow Realm, only a deal with the Shadow Princess can save her life. Following her wife Cressidae into the kingdom of the dead, Teagan must risk her own safety on a quest to save her life. And her wife.

This is a queer retelling of one of my favorite myths and was a highly anticipated 2021 read for me. It didn’t quite live up to expectations. The plot was incredibly undeveloped and felt more inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice than a retelling. I feel very strongly that retellings shouldn’t mention what they’re retelling, and this broke that rule, so I wasn’t a fan of that, and it felt unnecessary.

Cressidae and Teagan had a lot of potential but felt very two-dimensional with the amount of time given to develop them. The Shadow Princess also felt underdeveloped, like her backstory had holes that explained her motives and actions. Had this been a full novel, with world building and backstories, I think this could have been much better.

Overall, a really interesting story, just didn’t live up to expectations.

This one made my heart happy. A happy ending WLW retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, what more could you possibly want in a novella? The writing style was a little choppy and repetitive at times but the overall plot, the setting and the characters made it a wonderful read. I would have loved to see this as a full novel with more focus on world building and the history between the two main characters because there’s so much potential there and I feel like we were only shown little glimpses.

This novella follows Teagan's journey into the Shadow Realm. Teagan is slowly dying from a wound inflicted by a fantasy creature, she was supposed to go on this journey with her wife, Cressidae, but Cress decided to leave before Teagan to save her on her own.

I really liked this novella. It's a story about stubborn sapphics, love and grief.

I loved the romance, I mean who woudn't love wholesome married lesbians, Teagan and Cressidae were so cute and badass. I'm usually not a fan of established relationship so I liked seeing more of their relationship with the flashbacks.

This is pitched as a Orpheus and Eurydice retelling but it's not. The story is loosely inspired by it but it's not a retelling so I wouldn't recommend picking it up if you're looking for an actual retelling of the myth. I still enjoyed the plot even tho it wasn't at all what I was expecting.

The writing style was captivating and the mix of present day events and flashbacks was well balanced. However I wish the world-building could have been more fleshed out.

The only thing I really didn't like was the ending, the final confrontation was underwhelming and everything was solved too quickly.


Thank you to NETGALLEY for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

-4 stars-

I was able to sit down and read this novella in one sitting which is really rare for me as a reader. This book is very fast-paced and engaging. The short length of the book did cause a couple of points to be lacking in more detail than I would have liked but other than that, I feel like it was very well done. I really enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to anyone trying to get out of a reading slump or looking for something short and fast-paced. This was very refreshing to read in the YA fantasy genre.

The setting of this takes place in a very whimsical, cottage-core town with witches and cats that then transitions into this dark, creepy atmosphere of the Shadow Princess’s realm. I was able to get a vivid picture of the different settings without the typical fantasy cliche of heavy world-building and lengthy descriptive paragraphs. This resulted in a very refreshing experience as a frequent YA fantasy reader.

Teagan is the main character and while I didn’t feel that her character was repetitive or something that I have read before, she didn’t feel necessarily notable either. Ultimately, I enjoyed her as a protagonist. I had a hard time grasping the personality of her wife, Cress, which made my interest in the novella lack because she is the main motivation for the main character going on this harrowing quest into the shadow realm. Because of this book’s length, the romance has already developed prior to when the book takes place which leaves the reader to form a connection while the main character already has it. While I did struggle with this slightly, it ultimately felt well-done thanks to the flashbacks that appeared throughout the book. Their relationship is ultimately very cute and exciting with how they are constantly fighting for each other.

Lastly, my main issue with this novella came from the antagonist, the Shadow Princess. This villain had no real motive and felt very sparatic in her decisions which I felt really took away from the strength of the plot. While learning her backstory gives some insight into her actions and behavior, her decisions regarding Teagan and Cress’s lives felt unmotivated and random.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for an introduction to YA fantasy who is maybe afraid of heavy worldbuilding or dislikes it. The romance was very cute and the story was very fast-paced. I feel like spots where this novella was lacking were due to its short length but that is made up for by how engaging it is.

Thank you to Netgalley and Nyx Publishing for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book so much. An F/F retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice? I was so ready for that.

Unfortunately, with a plot like that it's essential that the reader loves the couple and roots for Orpheus to succeed. I just never got to that point. I'm not sure if the flashback structure helped.

Replacing the underworld with a more fairytale take on it was an interesting twist but I wasn't invested in it either, I'm so sorry.

I do think that the editor or someone should have gently suggested that the book needed a bit more time in development.

I think also a big opportunity was missed to dig deep into the meaning and expression of grief. It felt very superficial on those topics. It was also very hard for me to accept that the characters' relationship was worth risking death and damnation to save, especially since they'd only been together a relatively short time.

I've chosen not to republish this review elsewhere because I don't like to be this negative in public, but I'm happy to do so if the publisher requests it. I hope the author continues writing and doesn't take this to heart as it is only just one person's opinion.

This is a very charming f/f story that mixes mythology and fairy tales to create a journey through both the underworld and through the main characters' hopes, fears, and issues. It's inspired by the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, but not a retelling by any means, set in an original world. The narrative style is plain and straightforward, but it still has room for some evocative descriptions of the underworld.

As I read this in ARC format, some of the following elements, which are what was to me the only real flaws in the story, may have since been changed. First, I found the narrative flow to be rather disjointed -- many chapters end with a flashback, flashforward, or excerpt from some in-world text, and these rarely are directly caused by something in the story itself. As an example, We don't see Teagan have something remind her of how she and Cress met and then lead into a two years earlier flashback; rather, she steps through a gate where she's about to fall a long distance, and then the narrative *interrupts* to have a lengthy flashback to two years earlier. I love a good non-linear story when the disjoint feeds into the narrative; here, I think I would have preferred fewer asides in the form of flashbacks, memory sections, or fairy tales, because they interrupted the flow instead of enhancing it. It also tended to worsen my other critique -- a lot of things about their feelings were things we were told instead of shown. For example: we were told about how close and loving their interactions were, but because their first meeting is shown in a flashback with limited page space, all their initial conversation and falling in love is ellipsed, and (because the book starts with them separated and Teagan trying to find and rescue her wife) the first time we see them having a conversation on page together they're snappish and angry at each other. The tl;dr is at the time I read it in the ARC, it just felt it needed a bit more developmental strengthening. It still was a sweet read, though!

I don't believe this book is meant to be YA, but the plain sentence structure, fairy tale scenario, and fade-to-black for the sex scenes all would make it a lovely read for a YA audience as well, probably great to give to the queer teens in your life.

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

The Bone Way is a book I was incredibly excited to read, but I was sadly let down. The characters felt very two dimensional, I couldn’t really tell what their personalities were supposed to be like. The flashbacks confused me a lot, I still don’t really understand what happened with the shadow princess.

I didn’t feel any chemistry between our two main characters. I think this book could’ve been longer and started at a different point (maybe before cress went on her journey).

Thank you Netgalley and Nyx Publishing for providing me with an arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nyx Publishing and the author, Holly J. Underhill, for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review


3.5/5 ⭐


To start the review, let's appreciate the cover!! Badass sapphics holding daggers and looking like they're going to kill you if you look at their wife.. I love it. Possibly one of the most beautiful covers I've seen!


Now to the plot :

In this novella, we follow Teagan as she goes into the Shadow Realm to find her wife, Cressidea. Teagan is almost dying because of a poisonous creature's attack. That is the reason Cress went to the Shadow Realm, to try and save her.

According to the blurb:

Teagan’s wife, Cressidae, is missing. She has left for the Shadow Realm, a kingdom of the dead filled with untold nightmares—and the only place that can save Teagan from a lethal poison that’s killing her slowly. It is ruled by a princess said to make powerful deals with those brave enough to find her, and Cressidae has gone to bargain for Teagan’s life. Cressidae has forgotten one very important thing: no one makes it out on their own.

Despite the risks to her own safety, Teagan is determined to save her wife—and perhaps even herself in the process. The princess of the Shadow Realm, however, doesn’t let mortals roam her territories without opposition. In this thrilling fantasy novella, Teagan and Cressidae must face both the horrors of the Shadow Realm as well as their own past.


"Past the Bone Way,
Where the dead rest hungry
Through the Sky of Lost Dreams
Where souls wander forevermore
Down the River of Sorrow,
Where water drowns the mind
Up the desolate Mountain,
Where monsters roam the halls
To the deathly palace
Where the Shadow Princess waits within."



I loved the plot. This book is supposed to be a sapphic retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice (at least that's what the reviews made me believe) and the inspiration there is clear. However, I wouldn't recommend picking "The Bone Way" expecting a strict retelling of the myth. The author brought their own unique spin to the story and I really liked it!

I loved the different places and landscapes of the Shadow Realm and how they were described.


The writing :

This book was written very well,the mix of present day events and flashbacks was balanced. The flashbacks were very nice, though I would've loved to see more of Teagan's and Cress's everyday life.

However, my only complaint was that I wish there was a more detailed description of the world buiding and the landscapes that the two of them where going through.


The romance

The cutest thing ever but at the same time really badass!! "I love my wife with every fibre of my body" trope at its greatest in this book. I loved how they both loved each other so much that they didn't mind crossing the entire Bone Way and reaching the Shadow Princess to save each other. Their love was unconditional 💗 Cress didn't hesitate going into the Bone Way alone in order to find a cure for her wife and Teagan would do anything i order to get back to her wife, even though her condition, and she was so nervous not even knowing if her wife is alive.



It was a quite quick read -it is a novella after all- and it was simplistic. Yet, it did feel a little too short and I felt like the ending was a little rushed, like everything was resolved too easily. However, I really enjoyed the book and I'm sure I will read more of this author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Nyx Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: - death of parent, terminal illness, mention of incarceration, harm to animals

The Bone Way is incredibly short (117 pages) it is a super easy fast paced read. There is little to no world building due to the length of the book, but this did not ruin the book. We love to see a sapphic retelling!

the bone way was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021, so it’s safe to say that i was disappointed. maybe my expectations are to blame: i went in expecting a sapphic retelling of orpheus and eurydice and instead i got a very, very loose reimagining with a witchy cottagecore aesthetic. i love the premise, but the story itself left a lot to be desired.

teagan is already dying when she follows her wife, cressidae, into the shadow realm, where cress has gone to make a deal with the shadow princess for teagan’s life. teagan’s journey should have been the focus of the book—especially considering how short this one is—but it’s constantly interrupted by oddly-placed flashbacks and asides, almost none of which were necessary. nothing is exactly as it seems in the shadow princess’s realm, and i wish underhill had spent more time exploring teagan and cress’s relationship in that context. instead it all felt very low-stakes.

i really struggled to finish this one despite its brevity. i didn’t connect with the characters or their romance, the writing (particularly the dialogue) felt stilted, and the conclusion was… unsatisfying, to say the least. how are you going to call your story an orpheus and eurydice retelling without music or a tragic ending?

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

This book is about a quest for love, that's the best description I can give.
I love it, this is more than a love story, it has adventure, a fairy tale vibe, and a very nice fantasy world.
It really surprised me how the author manages to spend and create such a wonderful world in a few pages.
Here we have to story, a story about a couple that loves each other so much that they do anything to save each other and be together and I loved them!
I never feel so connected to a couple before and the way they express their love to each other.
The second story is about a princess and how she becomes who she is, her story brings the fairy tale vibe to the book.
These two stories connect to tell us a tale about love and adventure.
I recommend it so much, please read and give a chance for this amazing book and romance!

What a ride. I fell in love with these characters and this world and the LGBT rep is some of the best I've seen in a book for quite some time, really. If you're looking for a dark and queer fantasy, pick this up!

The Bone Way is a very ambitious effort to re-create the Orpheus and Eurydice story while giving it a sapphic twist. As a big mythology lover I couldn't pass this book up and even though I was a little bit disappointed I am also glad to have read this one.
It's actually prett well written en the Shadow world that's used as a setting is interesting, as are the tasks Teagan and Cress must endure to reach the Shadow Princess. I think because of the fact that it was a novella the writer should have condensed her story a bit more. It would have probably worked better for me when all we got was the trip to the Shadow Land. Instead there were flashbacks inserted which showed the love story between the two leading ladies, but now neither the love story nor the adventure got enough time to shine. And the choice of the flashbacks even made me wonder where the love was...I am told their love is so great, but mostly interactions between them were cold, angry or hurt,
All in all, great idea, good writing and definitely enjoyable but too big of a story as it is now for a novella-length book. Yet for anyone who likes mythology and enjoys a sapphic romance this is still a nice interlude.

*** An ARC was provided Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

It was a perfect Sapphic romance! The chemistry, the people, everything was amazing!
I will recommend it to everyone.

When I heard there was going to be a sapphic retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, I immediately wanted to read that book. The Bone Way by Holly J. Underhill is a novella about Teagan trying to find her missing wife Cressidae, who has left for the Shadow Realm. Cress wants to find a cure for Teagan who is slowly dying of a toxic bite.

I wanted to love this book so much, but unfortunately it was a slight let down. I’m not the biggest reader of high fantasy as is, but I was hoping the mythology retelling would balance the high fantasy elements.

For a novella, it had both too much and too little going on. It would have been enough for the Shadow Realm to be developed as the setting, which is actually the part that I liked, but the book also tried to develop a fantasy world where Teagan and Cress lived in. If this were a full-length novel, it could have worked, but it just felt unnecessary for the story.

While I liked Teagan as a main character, I felt that the relationship between Teagan and Cress was lacking. We were told constantly that the two had a happy marriage and were in love, but the scenes between the two characters seemed to only be of them fighting one another.

What I liked about the story were the more mythological elements and the stories of the Shadow Princess. Those parts were very enjoyable to read and I wanted even more of those elements.

This is a light retelling of Eurydice and Orpheus and I say light as this is the feel-good version. This novella has all the elements I like, a fantasy world with magic and dark realms and two women on a quest, conquering dangers on the way, all in the name of love, and look at that cover! I had fun with this debut novella, but there were also a couple of bumps on the road (pun intended).

The worldbuilding was well done considering that this is a novella. You immediately fall into the story told from the POV of Teagan (the entire book is 3rd person 1 POV). Her wife Cressidae (Cress) has left her in search of the dark princess that rules the shadow realm. Teagan follows Cress into the dark realm and has to survive all kinds of dangers on the road to the dark princess. I always enjoy a book that immediately starts with some action and especially for novella’s this works very well.

The thing that I found difficult though were the many flashbacks. There are flashbacks of the love story of Teagan and Cress and of the backstory of the dark Princess. While the love story was particularly sweet, the chaos of all the flashbacks made it almost impossible for me to get into the story. Also, the characters and the story feel a bit simplistic at points, especially the ending was a bit too easy.

In summary, this was a fun novella and an interesting debut. I didn’t click with it completely, but I will keep an eye on this author for future work.

This book had a very interesting premise, but a very underwhelming execution.

The author seemed to almost skip the worldbuilding entirely, making this book feel like the second book in a series. This story was very complex, but the author attempted to fit it into a very short book.

The short aspect of this book made the relationship much less compelling. And the relationship being already established made this much less interesting. This book had a lot of potential, but simply missed the mark in my opinion. Definitely still a good book, and a very quick read to anyone interested.