Member Reviews

I donโ€™t typically read fantasy novels. However, I received the audiobook for this one and I did enjoy the narrator. The story line was good and it does lead way to a new series. I can understand the appeal of why many people will be fascinated with this book.

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Iโ€™m not usually a fantasy book reader but I really loved listening to this one.

Oh man, I loved the action in this book and the whole cyren world.

The descriptions in this one had me engrossed and the narration I feel enhanced the story.

I will continue the series after listening to this first book.

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This was a great read! It was a unique fantasy option and found it much different than settings and worlds of other recent titles. I love the main character and her story from the beginning. The narrator was very engaging!

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The story itself was good and reminded me of Shadow & Bones-esque fantasy. I received this through Booksparks' SRC2021, and I'm glad I had the chance to explore it! For me, it just took me a long time to get through because of the format. I love paperbacks and e-books, but it's really hard for me to listen to and absorb a story via audiobook. I do look forward to looking into this series and hopefully reading the next one in a more tangible way for me.

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This book is an amazing start to a new four book series and the narration in the audiobook is fantastic. It started out reminding me a bit of the Hunger Games, but then it became it's own unique story and I couldn't stop listening. Rho is very likeable and I was cheering her on from the beginning. I enjoyed the confusion of not knowing who to trust and who was going to stand by her in the game. I can't wait to read/listen to the next installment of the story and I hear a release date is coming soon!

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#ALairofBones
#HelenScheuerer

Narrated by Fiona Hardingham

#audiobooktour
#SRC2021

Thank you @booksparks, @podiumaudio, @netgalley and @helenscheuerer for the complimentary audio book.


๐Ÿ‰ ๐Ÿ”ช ๐ŸŽง

A Lair of Bones is the first gripping book in the dark fantasy quartet, Curse of the Cyren Queen.

Sci - fi , fantasy and YA are not my usual go-to genres. However, listening to it on an audio does provide a different experience. The magic and the intrigue can captivate. A unique world of the fantastical is created and you become part of the adventure.. The narrator did a wonderful job of bringing this world to life.

Recommend for lovers of fantasy and sci-fi books.

#andsoiread
#audiotour
#booktour

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I had just been thinking that it was high time I read another fantasy novel when @BookSoarks offered me the opportunity to listen to the @podiumsudio audiobook of A Lair of Bones by Helen Scheuerer. This book is the first in a dark fantasy quartet, Curse of the Cyren King.
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Listening to a fantasy novel is like being told a lovely bedtime story, however instead of lulling me to sleep, I found occasions to put my headphones on and listen to more of this tale of Roh, the cyren daughter of an infamous criminal.
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The world building of this cavernous fortress with itโ€™s subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and lairs is so well done and I could easily picture Roh in the lowest level she was confined to, where she works as a common bone cleaner.
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Roh dreams of living free and โ€œaboveโ€ so when the opportunity arises in the form of the Queenโ€™s Tournament, a series of contests between cyrens in all the realms for the opportunity to become the next ruler. The trails first gave me some Hunger Games vibes but it isnโ€™t quite as vicious as that. It seemed more like Harry Potterโ€™s Triwizard Tournament. Whichever you compare it to or let it stand on itโ€™s own, I was fascinated by it and all the characters and contestants.
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Watching Rohโ€™s relationship with her โ€œhumanโ€ Odie develop as the tournament continued was a highlight of this story for me. While the culture of these cyrens of Saddoreil was ruthless and cruel, Roh has heart and empathy. She has to weigh the cost of her own advancement against the fate of her friends and others.
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I am really looking forward to the next three books in this series. @helenscheuerer and books like this are going to make a big fantasy reader out of me yet!
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Loved the narrator! This story was absolutely luring. I hope to read more by this author. I enjoyed the build up of the world. The atmosphere was beautiful. The main characters were very interesting. The pacing of the story was great. I enjoyed this book!

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What I liked:
๐Ÿค” The intricate story and the place they live in. I will forever say this...fantasy authors have the biggest imaginations and are beyond creative.
๐Ÿ‘ซ The team duo between human and bone cleaner
๐Ÿฆด The friendships, trials, and tribulations that come along with it.
๐Ÿ—ฃ The narration by Fiona Hardingham. Normally some accents are harder to understand and take away from the story, but this accent was the perfect addition to this beautiful story!

What I disliked:
๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿผโ€๐Ÿ’ผ I wish we couldโ€™ve gotten Odieโ€™s perspective (like certain parts of the book be his side of things)...such as when he went to get the strings.
๐Ÿ˜… I want more of Roeโ€™s story! I was listening to the preview of the next book and the first part of it was a different character, not Roe so Iโ€™m curious to see how they include Roe into it!

Other than that, there wasnโ€™t anything I didnโ€™t particularly like. It just felt like a 4 โญ๏ธ read for me, and that is honestly incredible because I donโ€™t normally enjoy reading fantasy! Honestly GREAT book for those who donโ€™t typically read fantasy and are starting to enjoy other genres.

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๐˜ผ ๐™™๐™š๐™–๐™™๐™ก๐™ฎ ๐™˜๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™š๐™จ๐™ฉ. ๐˜ผ ๐™ซ๐™–๐™ช๐™ก๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™–๐™ข๐™—๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ค๐™ฃ. ๐™ƒ๐™ค๐™ฌ ๐™›๐™–๐™ง ๐™ฌ๐™ž๐™ก๐™ก ๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™š ๐™˜๐™ฎ๐™ง๐™š๐™ฃ ๐™œ๐™ค ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ฌ๐™ž๐™ฃ?

๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ญ, ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ถ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ!

A unique world, with mystical and fantastic creatures, full of twists, action packed, some Hunger Games vibes and full of adventure!
And the best part, A Lair of Bones is the first book in the dark fantasy quartet, Curse of the Cyren Queen. I canโ€™t wait to read the next book in this series.

Thank you BookSparks, Podium Audio, NetGalley and Helen Scheuerer for having me on this #SRC2021 audiobook tour.

๐˜™๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ ๐˜ช๐˜ง ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ: ๐˜ ๐˜ˆ ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜บ, ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜บ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ๐˜ด, ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฌ ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜บ, ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜บ ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด.

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So don't go near caves, water, or anywhere there are tales of Cyrens. Wow this was quite an adventure! And I adore Fiona Hardingham, she always takes you on a wonderful adventure.

This world was hidden underground, Saddoriel the ancient lair of cyrens. Roh was born in a cell to the most notorious cyren. Roh has worn a gold diadem to show her lowly outcast status her whole life. So when her chance to prove herself appears she takes it.

Every 50-100 years they hold a Queens Tournament and the prize is the crown. Each sector picks their candidate to represent them, understanding the mortal dangers involved.ย 

The trials they must complete with a human and must keep the human alive make the competition that much more interesting. As the lair is alive and can lure them to their death.ย 

There are so many politics, strange cyren rules in so many tomes,ย  backstabbing, high stakes, unlikely friendships,ย  mystical creatures and cruelty.

I love books about trials, fantasy worlds, mermaids/cyrens, and enemies to friends.ย 

Thank youย helen scheuerer,ย BookSparks, and podiumaudio for the audiobook for my honest and voluntary review. I am excited to be on theย #SRC2021 audiobook track!

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his is the first book in a new dark fantasy series Curse of the Cyren Queen. The narrator does an amazing job bringing this story to life. This book is jam packed with action and kept me wanting to listen. I loved the tournament aspect of this book bringing a new spin to my fantasy reads lately. That also gave it a Hunger Games vibe which I am always down for! Great debut book to this series and canโ€™t wait for the next one!

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Thank you @booksparks @netgalley for a copy of the audiobook. This was a great fantasy about Cyrens and the world they love in. This was had the vibe of Hunger Games with trials to become the queen. I love the exploration of different classes, with humans in the story. I enjoyed seeing Rohโ€™s growth as she goes through the trial.
I enjoyed the narrator and look forward to book 2.

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This cover stuck out to me and with a beautiful cover cam an amazing story. I was absolutely captivated and enthralled the entire time

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A Lair of Bones
By Helen Scheuerer

Though this book was not my usual genre, I wanted to make a point to read more fantasy books this year. So, when @booksparks had this tour I was so excited to jump into this audio book.

Narrator Fiona Hardingham really brought Helen Scheuererโ€™s world to life with the distinct amazing voices of the characters in this dark fantasy full of adventure and action.

I cannot wait to read and listen to the next books in this quartet YA fantasy.

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A great listen! I donโ€™t typically read this genre as I loose interest fast but I now adore listening to books as it holds my attention! The choice of narrator was also excellent

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This one just wasnโ€™t for me. Itโ€™s like an overly complicated Hunger Games under the sea? And really, really long. I couldnโ€™t get into the characters and I felt lost a lot not understanding the contest, not really following the backstory or the rules of this society. Also the narrator has the same voice for every side character, I think that is part of what confused me. Maybe this would be better for me in print.

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