Castles in Their Bones is an utterly compelling look at nature versus nurture, following three princesses who were trained from birth by their mother to take down three neighboring kingdoms so they could be absorbed into their empire. But once each princess leaves home to marry the prince of one of the doomed kingdoms, they begin to question for the first time what they really want and who they want to be outside of their mother's influence. There's plenty of court intrigue, romance, exciting twists, and action, though some of the characters are storylines feel far more developed than others. However, by the time you reach the novel's cliffhanger ending, you'll be greedy for more.

5/5 stars
Recommended for people who like: fantasy, multiple POVs, court intrigue, grand plans, morally gray characters

This review has been posted on GoodReads and my bookstagram account as of 10/26, and has been posted to my book review blog as of 11/24.

This was an interesting book in terms of pacing. While there are a lot of scene changes in the beginning, I feel like it starts off pretty slow. Then, I got to the middle and there was this moment where I realized that a lot had been happening, but Sebastian had done a good job masking it so I hadn't really realized what was happening. It stayed steady from there until the end where everything sped up and seemed to happen at once. Despite the somewhat odd pacing, it actually worked really well and I never really felt like the pacing should have been different than what it was, particularly with how much scheming everyone was doing.

Speaking of scheming, I love it when there are books with devious people. Everyone has their own agenda. Everyone. Even if some people's agendas line up, there's something up everyone's sleeves. In some cases we know what it is, but in others we don't. I'm not sure we ever get the full truth of each girl's assignments, but that keeps it interesting. Also, Margareux's scheming goes so much deeper than it seems and she's so devious about it.

I will say that I did guess a good number of the twists in the book. Obviously the girls aren't supposed to realize certain things until they happen, or are right about to happen, but the audience is supposed to know but other things I'm not sure if I was supposed to guess. However, I did kind of like knowing what was coming and watching how the characters did, or didn't, figure it out as well.

For the characters themselves we have Sophronia (Sophie), Beatriz, and Daphne. The triplets are undeniably close, but they also have their own tensions. It's interesting to watch things play out on the page and see how they'll react to things and grow as characters. I think Sophie received the least narrative chapters, which is a shame since I liked her quite a bit. Beatriz was caught in a tricky situation and had a tough go of it. While I definitely like her enough to root for her and want her to come out on top, I think she was lacking some of the intrigue Sophie encountered as well as the complicated nature that is Daphne. I'm hoping in the next book Beatriz will see a larger role since I did like her, I would just like to see her do more. Daphne is, as mentioned, a complicated one. I don't agree with a lot of her choices, but I can't help but like her as a character. Based on the ending, I'm hoping she'll make new choices in the next book, but I can't really be certain.

Sophie is the youngest of the three and is the most sensitive and perhaps personable of them. She is prone to caring for other people, to the point where their mother is significantly concerned over her suitability for taking over the continent. Her desire to see the best for and in people, however, gets her pretty far in this book and Sophie goes through some major character development. She knows what's right and how to set things right and she's able to do it without much strong-arming.

Beatriz is the loudest and most out-there of the three, a fact she relishes in. Beatriz is a bit out of her element being thrown into a court of decadence, but she seems to find her rhythm easily enough. One thing I really like about Beatriz is how loyal she is. She'd do anything for her sisters and, to some extent, she'd do anything for Pasquale, Pas, the prince she's betrothed/married to. A lot of Beatriz's story revolves around subtlety and secrecy, largely in regards to her mother's plans, but also in regards to something else she discovers. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for Beatriz in the next book, and I'm desperately hoping it's going to go the way that I think it's going to.

Daphne is the eldest and is most like her mother. She sticks to her guns and doesn't doubt her job for much more than a second. She's ruthless, but in a different way from her sisters that makes her interesting. She's also really the only one who has someone in her new court that seriously questions her motives, which sets up an interesting dynamic between her and that other character, Bairre. I also think Daphne is the only sister to really develop something akin to a true friendship with someone else from the start, if only because she learns pretty quickly what the other person's scheme is and it takes Sophie and Beatriz a bit longer. Daphne is on the edge of something toward the end of this book and it could completely change the course of everything depending on what she decides (or has already decided). I do question why Daphne doesn't question their mother at all, knowing what she's capable of and knowing what she's promised Daphne.

The ending was very intense and things were getting more complicated than ever. Despite being in a pretty precarious position herself, Daphne actually is the most secure of the three sisters by the end. There was one thing that happened at the end that I was really desperately wishing a character could get out of. Even now I'm coming up with ways it could go where the narrative fools the readers. Technically there is still a way it could go the way I'm hoping it will, so I'll hold onto that until the sequel comes out and pretending like the alternative isn't more likely.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and each of the characters. Each sister has a great dynamic with the people they end up surrounded with and the situations they find themselves in. No one ends up where they expect and their assignments don't go as planned for anyone, but they make the best of it. My one complaint is that the sequel won't be out until 2023.

I greatly enjoyed this magical tale. I'm so glad readers can see inside the thoughts of each sister, as they alternate narrating chapters. I love how different each triplet's personality is, and how their betrothals sent them each into such different royal courts. It was great fun to watch how their training led them to maneuver the various obstacles and challenging people in their way.

Author Laura Sebastian keeps readers captivated with twists and surprises and some light romance with fairly fleshed-out supporting characters.

Highly recommended for fans of YA Fantasy books with magic, royals and court intrigue.

First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

(4.5/5 Stars).
Beatriz, Sophronia, and Daphne all make their journeys to different kingdoms, all there with a task. They are there to allow their mother, the Empress of Bessmia to control the entire continent. This story not only explores the difference in political courts from different kingdoms, but the values of allyship, betrayal, and what that all means.
Castles in their Bones is a wonderful tale in the way that it explores all three sisters, and you get to experience their own faults and realization of the future they believe they have no control over. A novel truly for all fantasy fans, there is elements of star magic, the art of lying, and much more that makes this story intriguing for all. You will not be left bored - you will be second guessing everyone’s intentions up until the very end.
Definitely an unforgettable story that deserves the praise and recognition of an established fantasy world with an important story to tell. You will come to like all three sisters, all whom have their differences, but all who learn to navigate the courts they’ve been sent to in their own way. My personal favorite was Daphne, the specialist in poisons and weaponry.
This book comes out in February 2022, pick it up if any of this interests you :)

Powerful female characters and a challenging story of power and deceit. Triplets are raised to marry and cause their kingdoms destruction. The goal to give their mother more power. Each has a unique skill and are well trained in seduction, deception and capable of violence. The first of an enchanting trilogy. Loved reading and cannot wait for more.

Let me first start by saying that I really enjoyed the Ash Princess trilogy. I assume many will be making comparisons between this new series and that one. I will not make comparisons between the author’s works, but I will make comparisons between other authors. I think the worlds of Bessemia, Cellaria, Friv, and Temarin needed to be built up more. World-building is vital in fantasy series and it keeps things flowing smoothly. When worlds are built properly, the author doesn’t get caught mentioning something new at 90% that would’ve made more sense mentioning beforehand. Another suggestion would be to differentiate the sisters more in the early chapters. I didn’t follow who was who until about 50% of the book was behind me. The first few chapters for each sister were entirely too similar: changing of the clothing, meeting their intended fiancé, etc. The three tales ran together and were not different enough to tell apart. I will say that the last 80% of the story really picked up and I will, of course, follow up with the sequel to see how things have progressed with Daphne, Triz, and the Empress.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A compelling mix between politics, scheming, and rebelling and different kingdoms along with their customs, traditions and cultures. Empress Margaraux married off her daughters in an attempt to take over the other wealthy kingdoms. I do not want to spoiler more but it was definitely a captivating read.

Laura had to go and kill my favorite character but I'm fine. Everything is fine.

If you, like me, loved her first trilogy and have been looking for something to fill the hole that it left this might be the book for me. I mean you.

Packed full of intrigue, swoon, backstabbing and awkward dance scenes.

The amount of betrayal that is in between these pages. I didn't trust not one single person. The amount of death in this first book of a trilogy kinda scares me.

The sisters. See, I liked Sophie and Triz sooooo much. I didn't feel connected to Daphne and I don't know if that's because she didn't have as many chapters as the other two or because she was more distant but I didn't care to read her earlier chapters much until it got to the juicy assassin type stuff.
Triz is such a good friend. Too good sometimes. And Sophie, her and Leopold are my fave ship in the whole story.

Ok, I'm gonna stop talking about this book now. Just, y'all are gonna love it!.

Lies and deception reign in this novel. Triples, sisters, born from an emperor believed to be impotent, trained in the arts of seduction, deception, poisons, weapons, and loyal to their mother, the empress, who has grand plans. Each sister has their own mission, but yet are told they cannot depend on the others. As each sister is thrown into a new land, they try to complete their mission, to start a war, but unexpected complications arise. Secrets are discovered and revealed, betrayal is common, and nothing goes according to plan. Yet, the true villain is one they do not expect or see coming, who has played the game for a long time. Everyone hides behind a mask, yet some have a difficult time holding onto that mask. Trust is something they cannot afford to have, yet they will have to set their agendas aside to discover the true deceiver.
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Spoiler free, 3.75 stars*

While I didn't completely love Ash Princess, I absolutely adored Half Sick Of Shadows. This made me incredibly intrigued about Laura's next YA trilogy, especially since it's about triplets, all married off to different countries, to try and bring them to their knees for their mother. It sounded intricate and twisted, and I was very curious to see what it would hold.

I really enjoyed this book! It was everything it was promised it to be and I actually fell in love with certain parts of it a lot more than I thought I was going to.

I was not expecting to love the triplets, or any of the side characters, as much as I do. There are a lot of characters; there are three (maybe more depending on how you look at it) stories all playing out at the same times. And each of those three stories has their own cast of characters. Gosh, they are each so well done. Nothing felt rushed or glossed over. I didn't feel like anybody fell flat or like they were just there because they were there. Everybody had such depth to them, and considering everything that was going on, that is a huge feat. I was made to care about pretty much everybody, and I am amazed at that fact, because I do genuinely care for them. They're all complex, with their own plots and schemes and feelings and ideas on how things should play out. It's amazing to see how it works all together.

The same goes for the plot. It is an incredibly twisted, with so many schemes going on at the same. But, like the characters, nothing felt forced or rushed or like it was there for the sake of being there. Everything felt like it had its place, even if it changed two seconds later because of the sheer number of secrets being kept. It's a testament to Laura's talent that everything fit so well together, and I didn't feel overwhelmed with all the information that was being presented. Because seriously, it's the first book in a series, with three POVs, three deceptions, and three girls who all have their own motivations. Just, I am amazed and how this book was put together. It's so well done.

I will say, that certain parts of it felt kind of bland. I think certain aspects could have gone deeper, such as going more in depth to the maneuvering of certain politics, and perhaps going slightly darker in certain places as well. Of course, this is just personal opinion! I also feel like all three of the triplets give me queer vibes and I was waiting for one of them to fall in love with one of the girls around them. Of course, there is still time since this is just the first book, but I was hoping there would be an inkling of a f/f couple!

Overall, I really, really liked this book. It left me distraught and I hoping very badly for certain things. It is also so well crafted and I adore all three triplets. It's very, very good.

Laura Sebastian has been one of my fave authors and this book will make it's way to my classroom library.

Castles in Their Bones was a fun, enjoyable read.

I enjoyed seeing the three different adventures of the triplets, although there were a few times it seemed their stories lined up a bit too much or they were all referencing the same lessons from their mother in consecutive chapters.

I enjoyed the differences in the triplets themselves, I think they felt just distinct enough to really feel like different people.

I think having them all have the same general goal of heading to a new kingdom, marrying a prince/king, and then betraying them, definitely made it difficult for the author to make the stories and girls feel unique. For the most part, I feel this was accomplished very well.

The plots linked to each other in a way that was fun and kept everything tied together, which kept everything moving.

There were a few twists that were a bit predictable but the one at the end definitely threw me for a loop! I am angry I can't keep reading the next book. I'm dying to know what happens next, which is a good sign for a story.

OMG I loved this book! I love dark, political intrigue novels, and this was a delight! I enjoyed the build up, the world building, and the characters! It was a book that I struggled to put down!

I wanted to enjoy this but I ended up DNFing the book around halfway. I just did not feel connected to the story, the characters, the journey, or anything.

I loved this book! Sophronia, Beatriz, and Daphne were all such great characters! It was a little confusing sometimes to remember which country each sister was in and what their specific task was, but once I got further in, I could recognize each sister’s voice. It’s difficult to write three points of view well, but Laura Sebastian accomplished this perfectly. I loved the differences between the four countries the book is set in, and the twist at the end shocked me. I’m so excited to read the next in the series!

Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian, 528 pages. Delacorte (Ransom), FEB 2022. $19

Language: PG (13 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (mild violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Daphne, Sophronia, and Beatriz, 16yo triplets, have been raised by their mother, the Empress Margaraux, as the perfect weapons. The day after their birthday the sisters are split up for the first time in their lives – each girl headed to their wedding with a prince of a different country, destined to become queens. Maybe. Because their mother has sent them with ulterior motives – send the countries to war to weaken them, so that the Empress can conquer them and bring them back under one rule. But the best laid plans of dictators may not survive the desire of the heart.

Sebastian works on a slow build as we meet each girl, each country, each prince, and learn the back stories of the intrigue within each throne room, a big plus for readers who love character-driven novels and extensive world-building. The last third of the book brings us to the crisis of heart for each girl and events that bring deep betrayal from many sources. While I personally hard a hard time warming to the girls, I felt rewarded by the anguish-filled events that set up, hopefully, the sequel.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

What the heck did I just read? This book is so, so dark, it's unbelievable because it doesn't look like that from the gorgeous cover!
Oh my gosh!! I love, love, loved the politics, scheming and rebelling in this book! In the start, it was a bit difficult to remember who is who but I quickly understood and loved this rare book! It was thrilling to read about the different kingdoms along with their customs, traditions and culture, the author did an amazing job! I expected this book to be light and fun but as I wrote before it was a bit too dark in the end. I hate the Empress Margaraux so much, it's unbelievable! Just like Seline said this wasn't love!! I was also infuriated at her daughters for doing everything their cruel mother wanted them to do but then again we all want to be loved even if it means disregarding your opinions especially when you have a single parent. The betrayals were unexpected!! And also, the sisterhood in this book is a goal! All in all, read this book!!

4 stars!💖

I wasn't a huge fan of her other pervious series, but I am so glad that I have decided to give this author another chance because I love this book so much that I think this might be the best book of the year. This book has everything that I wanted when it comes to a new fanasty series, this book is more into espionage fanasty story that involves with three intelligent, witty, charismatic, strong, and very powerful sisters named Daphne, Sophronia, and Beatriz who are being sent away to three different kingdom to be married to three different princes, so that they could spy on their husband's kingdoms for their mother's grand scheme to take over their kingdom. This book has plenty of court intrigue, political intrigue, adventure, betrayal, secrets, scheming plot twists, an enemies to lovers/forbidden love romance to die for, and if you love Three Darks Crowns, I highly suggest that you should pick this book up. It's so good!!!!

Three sisters, raised with one purpose: marry the princes of neighboring lands. And bring the countries to their knees so her mother can conquer them.

Castles in Their Bones is definitely a different fantasy story.

I love love LOVED the political intrigue—the story is brimming with it, and Sebastian writes the different sisters as such unique characters, and places them in such unique situations that I wasn’t bored once. I loved each of the girls for different reasons, and the countries themselves were unique and nuanced. Sophronia and Leopold would have to be my favorites—all though I have a feeling that if we saw more of Daphne and Bairre interact, they’d be a quick first. Here’s hoping we get more of them!

The only thing I would have liked is more romance—I am ALL for slow burn, but for a story about three couples, we get very little chemistry. But I guess that’s what books 2 and 3 are for, right?

All in all, a promising start to a new fantasy series, with a unique concept and a tangled web of intrigue and deception. I can’t wait for book 2.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book!

-A

First, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ok wow I am still in shock from that ending! It’s going to take a while to get over it (if I even can!)
So this book was great. It’s fast paced, has SO MUCH plotting and twists, betrayals and shocks! It was initially difficult to keep everything and everyone straight as we follow each of the 3 princesses in their new countries as they work to put their mother’s plans in place. Each of the 3 sisters and the countries they are sent to are quite different, so that helps. I loved the development we see from each as they grow and start to piece together all the plots and figure out what their role really should be. The pace really never lets up, but there are still some really sweet moments between each of the girls and their princes/king.
But wow I was not prepared for some of the twists at the end; my jaw literally dropped. I cannot wait for the next book!