This was fantastic! I don’t even know where to begin. I enjoyed every second and just kept turning those pages. It’s been a while since I really enjoyed a YA Fantasy and this one did not disappoint.

The world is unique, the characters well developed, and the plot full of surprises. I wasn’t sure how I to feel about Tamsin in the beginning, she’s not the most likeable, but her bond with her brother Cabell gave me hope that I’d learn to like her and I did. It’s always been the two of them, especially after their guardian Nash left them seven years prior. Now they’re going to do what they can to find him, even if it means making an alliance with the enemy.

So much happened in this book and now I need the second one asap! I loved the darkness of the world, the friendships, betrayals, and unpredictable alliances. You never really know who you can and can’t trust, all the way up to the end. I can’t wait to see where the next book will take us!

Tamsin Lark has no magic and breaks into crypts as a Hollower to find treasures to sell. It wasn't her first choice, but her thieving foster father left her and her brother Cabell suddenly, and it's the only way she can survive. Ten years after that, rumors still say that her foster father had vanished with a powerful ring from Arthurian legend. A run-in with her rival Emrys makes Tamsin hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. Others want that ring, and many would kill to have it for themselves. Tamsin must work with Emrys to get the ring, exposing a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts and shatter her last hope of saving her brother.

I was sucked into the story right away. The prologue gives us the last time Tamsin and Cabell were with their foster father Nash, where Tamsin's inability to see magic without a hand of glory is a liability. It still is ten years later, and others in the community look down on her and her brother as rejects. She's still looking for a way to break the curse on Cabell and takes on whatever jobs she can to make ends meet. Her photographic memory helps, but she also doesn't have the resources that the richer and more prestigious guild members have. Emrys isn't exactly what she thought he was, but he also played a dangerous game in the search for the ring, working with those only too willing to harm Tamsin and Cabell while keeping them safe.

The search is more complicated than Tamsin thought it would be, of course, and Avalon isn't anything like what we thought it would be. It's dangerous, as cursed as Cabell is, and the survivors are wary. I was fascinated by this section of the book, and what the characters go through. There were so many scenes that pulled at my emotions, and my heart went out to Tamsin. She went through so much, and the events in this book only pushed her more and more out of her comfort zones. The final quarter of the book was one jaw-dropping revelation after another, and then it ends in something of a cliffhanger. I normally hate those, but this cliffhanger creates so many questions in addition to the "WHAT?! You can't end it like that!" feeling that I forgive it. And want book two NOW so I can find out what happens next.

➸ 4.5 ⭐️

Where others seem to struggle with the beginnings of AB's books I haven't had that problem yet — Silver in the Bone was interesting from the start.
I absolutely adored Lore, so I knew I had to get my hands on this - another mythology inspired book filled with adventures and magic - welp, sign me up.
The way the mythology was interwoven in this urban fantasy made it feel realistic, I found the stories the characters were retelling fascinating, I just love it when the line between reality and fantasy is blurred.

Speaking of the characters, I loved them all, especially the MC Tamsin and her love interest. Tamsin was relatable and flawed and her development was great.
The magic system was well explained, the romance was one of my fav parts, I wish there was a little more of it (banter for days; enemies/rivals-to-lovers; very slow burn; there's only one horse 👀), the twists were shocking especially in the 3rd part of the book, which was by the way the best part.

The ending was crazy I still can't believe all of the revelations and betrayals and I'm very excited for the sequel!

If you love Arthurian-inspired stories, adventure, found family, banter for days, flawed characters, urban fantasy, curses, secrets and betrayals and magic then you should definitely give SitB a try!!

eternal gratitude to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
all opinions are my own

This book is a unique Arthurian reimagining where artifact hunters Tamsin and Cabell go hunting for a legendary and much desired artifact from Avalon and find themselves biting off way more than they bargained for.

This book was super engaging! I loved my experience in this world. The characters are all distinct and have clear personalities that make them stand out, and I never felt confused about who was who despite how many characters there were.

I also enjoyed the plot and the twists that were thrown at me. I genuinely wasn’t expecting some of the big reveals, and THAT ENDING. Holy cow! I was NOT ready for that, and I was literally trying to turn pages that weren’t there because I NEED more.

The only reason that this book wasn’t a five star book for me was that it always felt like I wanted a little more. A little more description, a little more world-building, a little more tension. But overall, I loved this book and definitely recommend getting a copy!

Books like this remind me how vast and ever expanding the fantasy genre can be. I loved Lore and was super excited to read this new novel and see where Bracken took her take on Author. I do feel like the actual retelling part of this was pushed into the background, but it in no way hindered my enjoyment of this novel. There is so much action and adventure in this novel. There were lots of twists and turns to keep the reader immersed and engaged. The magic system was fresh and complex, and so well done. The characters are amazing and easily fallen in love with. It was easy to get attached and easy to have my heart broken, I cannot wait to see where this story is going to go and will be eagerly waiting for the next book.

I was so excited to read this book by Alexandra Bracken after having read Lore. It was a really fun read! The Celtic lore and legends in the book had so much chaos going on, I can’t wait for the second book to come out.

“But there comes a time when you have to decide if feeling empty is really any better than the risk of being broken.”

I fell in love with Alexandra Bracken's writing after reading The Darkest Minds seven ago and, frankly, I will read anything she writes. So, when she announced a King Arthur retelling with strong and complex female characters? I couldn’t sign up fast enough.

Silver in the Bone follows Tamsin Lark as she attempts to hunt down a powerful, Arthurian-legend ring that could help release her brother from a lifelong curse. Problem is, her rival Emrys is after the ring too. And what ensues is a story full of adventure, magic, tragedy, love, and betrayal.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Silver, and I genuinely cannot wait for the rest of the world to read it. Alex has a way of writing characters that clutch onto your heart with no intention of ever letting go, and I couldn’t love that more if I tried.

I think what’s really special about Alex’s stories, and Silver in particular, is her ability to transform her writing to fit the story she’s telling. With Silver, Alex’s writing feels very descriptive and like an old folk tale—which is exactly the type of story she’s telling. Not to mention, the way that she brings up real life issues and discussions, like how just because you come from a well-off family doesn’t mean you have a great life or the unfounded belief people may hold against a specific group of people or how being soft-hearted doesn’t mean you’re weak (@ Neve, I love you).

I could honestly go on and on, gushing about this one. I mean, the character development in and of itself is stunning. The banter between each character is so natural and comical. The characters themselves are so wildly complex and unique, you can’t help but believe they’re real people. And, trust me, there is so much I want to say about those last couple of chapters… If you were curious, though—yes, I am in denial.

It’s fair to say, I’m going to need every person inhabiting this planet to read this book. More or less so we can scream about it together, so I’m not suffering alone.

Tamsin Lark is a Hollower, a glorified thief of magical items, often auctioned off to the highest bidder. The only problem is that she’s wholly mortal, no magic at all, not even a bit of the One Vision to be able to detect when magic is near. Nevertheless, after their foster father disappeared, Tamsin and her brother have to follow in his treacherous footsteps to insure their own survival. When rumors start swirling that a long-lost object with the power to break curses might have surfaced, it’s a race to see if Tamsin can beat her rival, Emrys, and the rest of the Hollowers to the finish line – and break her brother’s curse once and for all.

This book was a rocky read for me. The initial worldbuilding was somehow a mixture of way too much exposition and also a total lack of clarity as to what was actually going on. Things settled a bit when the characters got to [SPOILER], but then a whole new backstory was revealed that I never really understood – though at that point I was so invested that I went right along with it. I love Arthurian folklore, but am definitely less familiar with it than I am with Greek mythology and your classic fairytales, so a good portion of this story might have made more sense if I knew the inspiration/source material better – but then again, worldbuilding is the foundation of fantasy and it just wasn’t executed as highly as I would have wanted it to be.

That being said, once the story got going, it just kept rolling, and I had a really hard time putting it down. The characters are annoyingly frustrating in their flaws, but that just makes them all the more real and Bracken had me FEELING for them. I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, and even though I knew it was coming, it still managed to sweep me away. “Choose me, because I choose you” had me positively BAWLING on my couch, and the little details of setting and humanity included had me hurting in the best way.

The last few chapters are an absolute rollercoaster of twist after turn after revelation and I turned the last (e-)page in absolute disbelief. So, if you’re not good with cliffhangers, most definitely wait to pick this one up until the sequel is closer to releasing at some point next year.

Content warning: brutal violence, descriptive gore, blood, massacre & death, parental abandonment, physical abuse (off-page, discussed by characters), death of a guardian.

*Actual rating is 4.5*

Silver in the Bone is a story all about curses, found family and a world overrun by darkness. Inspired by Arthurian legends, this book was nothing like I expected. Here I was thinking it was going to be a mix between The Amazing Race and Indians Jones, with a bigger focus on the competition about who could find the legendary artifact first. But alas, it was not. The book turned out to be both darker (both literally and figuratively) and more emotional than I thought beforehand. All of this gloom and doom made it at times hard to not feel exhausted by the story.

Because the main character, Tamsin, has a lot of anger, fear and sadness to her. Not to mention a bad case of pushing people away in a misguided attempt to protect herself. While I understand where she comes from, constantly being in survival mode and never letting anyone close to hurt you, having this kind of mc in combination with the bleak world most of the story takes place in… there’s just no victory to brighten the mood. There needs to be a balance between the light and the darkness of the story, and this is why I enjoyed the first and last part of the book more than the middle. Probably why I came to adore Neve and Emrys, they bring kindness and a much needed light to the story (while also carrying heavy pasts themselves). I wish they would have been a bit more fleshed out. As is now, some of their actions just felt a bit confusing at times since I didn’t know their motivation.

Something that this book did great was the atmosphere, like the world building was on point. The storytelling was overall good, but there were a lot of plot twists. Some which never were truly answered, which left me with more questions than answers. Also some things I didn’t see coming. If it was because the foreshadow wasn’t clear enough, or if I just missed things I don’t know. My feelings were all over the place while reading, and the ending was no exception. It was like a gut punch while also leaving me desperate for the sequel.

I enjoyed this book, despite the emotional damage it caused me, and it was constantly on my mind until I could finish it.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @aaknopf for an early copy of Silver in the Bone by @alexbracken. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Silver in the Bone tells the story of orphaned siblings Tamsin and Cabell who take on a job to find a magical ring and their missing guardian. The ring, they were hoping, would free Cabell from his curse.

It’s been a while since I read something Arthurian-related, and Silver in the Bone is a great Arthurian legend retelling, an adventure beautifully written, albeit quite slow in pacing. The magic system was very interesting as it melds both modern and mythical elements into the story. It didn’t hold my attention much during the first half, but once I got the hang of it and its elements, it got interesting overall.
Out of all the characters, it was Tamsin who stood out to me. I wasn’t really a fan of her in the beginning as she was quite pessimistic, but as the story unraveled, I empathized with her.

This is a promising beginning to the series and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. Rating this ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. Available to purchase today!

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book.

I was anticipating reading Silver in the Bone so much, and maybe my anticipation just built the book up too much...because it left me very disappointed. I wasn't very engaged in the plot, I wasn't attached to the characters, and I found myself skimming over several parts just to get to the next chapter.

The ending was good, and that is really what saved the book from a two star rating. The ending was a bit more violent than I expected, but overall, it was a decent ending. I don't know if I will read any other books by this author or other books in this series, and I won't be purchasing this book for my shelves...so that is what led me to the three star rating.

I saw Arthurian fantasy and immediately added to my tbr. Anxiously awaiting the sequel.

In this book we follow Tamsin Lark. Her and her brother, Cabell are left to fend for themselves by taking up odd and dangerous jobs when their guardian disappears during a job that would lead them to the ring of dispel which was Tamsin's hope to free Cabell from his curse.

Years down the road Tamsin accepts another job as she is handing in a current one which puts her back on the path of ring of dispel but things are getting dangerous and dark.

I had a love/hate relationship with our main character, she was rude and cold towards so many people but we do get to see a little into it as her own backstory unfolds. There is brief romance in the book as an enemies to lovers and I hope it comes back in book two. This book has some dark gruesome scenes in it as there is a lot of death that happens throughout the curse plaguing Avalon.

The book does end on a cliffhanger so be warned as you may be punching the air wanting to know what happens next. This was a great read. So many emotions were felt during this book.

Silver In The Bone by Alexandra Bracken is a young adult fantasy that had me on an amazing, emotional roller coaster! It's about a pair of siblings who did "for-hire" jobs finding old relics for sorceresses. When one of them gets word of a possible curse breaker, they decide to throw caution to the wind and embark on this magical quest.

First of all, this book was pretty freaking great. It's based around the Arthurian legend with its own unique blend. The quest and world building were perfection. I enjoyed the characters and their growth so much. The banter between two of the characters was so good and added some lightheartedness to this very intense fantasy with high stakes.

The story was fast-paced with twists, curses, portal magic, action, and badass priestesses. It also touches on family drama and abandonment. I feel like the author wrote this book with the intention to break many hearts!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Silver in the Bone is an Arthurian inspired story, where Tamsin and her brother Cabell are trying to find a powerful ring which could free Cabell from his curse.

“The past cannot hold more worth than the future.”

I’ve not read a lot of Arthurian inspired books, but I am always all for retelling and mythology inspired stories! I really liked the take on this book with the legends, where the legends aren’t told again but all happened and then some more!

The plot was one I liked. I liked the progression of the story, with a lengthy introduction and the pace and stakes slowly picking up. The plot is very adventurous and has a touch of mystery added because you don’t know until the end why everything happens. I liked how the story kept me guessing at what would happen and why. It kept me engaged in the story and wanting to keep on reading!

The writing style was pleasant, but the way it was written did take me a bit longer to fully emerge in the story. it isn’t a style that sucks me in immediately and doesn’t let go. I could easily put the book down to be honest, but then I would keep on thinking about what I read. It is written in a way that you can’t stop thinking about what was happening and the questions I had.

I am such a fan of Tamsin! She is very pessimistic and doesn’t “dream” much. She just tells it as she sees it and while she often crushes hope for others with her realistic views, I could really appreciate that in this story! it is very much as Neve said at one point: “Tamsin, you don’t have a thick skin, you have armor.” That really sums up Tamsin as a character. I especially loved the development and how much she grew!

I loved the bonds that this book had! The sibling bond between Tamsin and Cabell is probably the most important, because it is the driving power between everything Tamsin does! I loved that! The same could be said about the sister bond between The Nine! I loved how the focus was on friendship and family and not per se romance. There was some romance, which I liked! It felt very true to their characters how that evolved and developed!

Okay, so time to clear some things up… I was 100% convinced this book would be a standalone. I was fully committed going into this story, starting and finishing the story and everything… And to be honest, I still thought that up until 98%... it was those last few pages that completely blew me away with how they unfolded. I had my heart broken, I had some hope again and then I was blown off my seat by the reveal and ending. I am not okay, I needed book two yesterday!
I still have so many questions and I can’t wait to see them answered in the sequel, which won’t be released until 2024 T_T

Overall, Silver in the Bone is an amazing story that you can’t stop thinking about and takes you on a wild rollercoaster!

Tamsin. Emrys. Neve, and Cabell end up in Avalon facing the knights who are trying to save everyone they love from the Children ( monsters related to the Lord of Death). Tamsin and Emrys grow closer and closer to each other with Tamsin letting her guard down. Emrys really loves to banter and get under her skin because as he explains, its cuz he knows she truly sees him and he always refers to her as “bird” because she is always flying away from him. Emrys says he has been abused by his father and he wants to free himself and his mother from him and needs the ring to do so. Tamsin wants to save Cabell despite how they fight with each other and is willing to do anything to save him. Emrys and Tamsin admit their feelings for one another and agree to keep their relationship status just between themselves. Tamsin and Emrys find the ring and then Emrys steals it and disappears from Avalon while the Lord of Death has awoken and now Cabell has teamed up with him accepting himself as a werewolf, parting from Tamsin. Now she has joined the knights of Avalon and opened up the door between the mortal world and Avalon... and the story ends with Nash, Tamsin’s foster father who had disappeared reappearing at her apartment door looking younger and telling her that he is here to help her break her curse.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

3.5 stars

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC.

I was excited to get an advance copy of this book because I like the author. It wasn't one of my favorites, but it was fine.

This story was interesting. I did find it a little slow in the middle of the book, but it did pick up within the last 50 pages or so.

I like books with travel to other worlds and especially Authurian takes in stories. I didn't so much find that it hit that mark in this book, but I can see something going on in the sequel (hopefully).

Tamsin wasn't a favorite, but I enjoyed the other characters. The ending was shocking, so I'll have to look out for the sequel.

I really don’t know much about arthurian mythology, but this book was a delight! I loved the characters and the magic system. It ended with a cliffhanger so I will be first in line for the sequel!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Alexandra Bracken's new novel, Silver in the Bone, is a story in the King Arthur universe. It's not a retelling or a reimagining. It's a story about what happens when modern relic hunters make their way to Avalon.

"Tamsin Lark has no magical ability. When their foster father abandons them, she and her brother spend their time hunting for relics and magical treasures. Ten years later, there are rumors that he is in possession of a powerful ring from Arthurian legend. All roads lead to Avalon where they unearth a deadly secret."

My experience with YA fantasy means that the World-Building slows the first part of a book. Once you have a sense of what's going on and the rules of the world, the story can flow a little better. It's interesting to see how Bracken writes around the Arthur legend and characters. Lots of strong female characters and lots of action. Tamsin is a character that doesn't know where she came from or what she's capable of. There's a bit of a cliff-hanger so I'm sure we'll get to see what she can do.

Some good YA Fantasy from Bracken.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

I love anything that has to do with King Arthur and Merlin and when I saw that Silver in the Bone was inspired by Arthurian legend, I knew I had to read this book. I am so happy that this book has everything in it: magic, curses, romance, action, dark and spooky atmosphere, found family and revenge.

I loved that in this retelling you got to see a darker side of Arthurian legend. I loved the mystery, the action, and the drama when it came to the plot. There were times that I did find myself confused or saying “Wait, what?” but I am happy to say that everything does wrap itself nicely in the end. Even with that cliffhanger. Bracken really knows how to draw you into a book and keeps you enthralled in it as well that you will find yourself at the end of the book before you even know it and now you have to wait to see what happens to the characters that you have come to love. I really enjoyed Bracken world-building. I thought the pace of the book was on par for everything, you might find yourself a little confused in the beginning, then you will be sucked right into it, then it does level out in the middle but towards the end it does not stop until the last page. It really gives you a chance to look back through everything you have already learned and what is next to learn.

I thought the characters were a great fit for the book. I really did not like Tamsin in the beginning, but the more and more that I got to know her I started to feel for her and her past. I enjoyed getting to see her development throughout the book. It wasn’t just the MFC that you got to see the development from as well. I loved that you got to see and connect with the side characters. Emery’s character… I don’t know what to say other than I hope to see you in the next book with all the answers to my questions. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers with Tasmin and Emery’s, but I think my favorite part was all the bantering between them.

If you are looking for a great fantasy with a lot of twists and turns, one that will keep you guessing and questioning what will happen next, you really need to pick up this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Children for the opportunity to review this book.

This book was beyond phenomenal! The characters are real and flawed and you cannot help but cheer for them. And Alexandra Bracken definitely captured the feeling of magic and wonder that exists in Arthurian legend.

This book is full of found family, female friendship, heartbreak, Betrayal, and magic. I don't know how I am going to wait for the second book!