Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Silver in the Bone opens a new series inspired by Arthurian legend, starring Tamsin Lark, a mortal orphan who must partner with her rival to hunt down a legendary ring that could have the power to free her brother from a curse.

One thing Alexandra Bracken does well is craft a whirlwind adventure, and Silver in the Bone is no exception. Action-packed and wonderfully magical, Silver in the Bone was a remarkably quick read for me despite its heftier page count, simply because it kept me riveted the whole time. I liked our cast of characters and the magic system was interesting, plus the combination of modern and mythical worlds was intriguing.

Where I struggled was the ties to Arthurian legend. Much as I feel like it was objectively present on the page -- Avalon, the death of King Arthur -- the story itself didn't otherwise feel particularly tied to Arthurian legend as much as I was really hoping it would.

Overall, I think this was a fun adventure, and I'm excited to see Tamsin's story play out further in book 2.

I love a good Arthurian retelling, and Alexandra Bracken handles it expertly. This novel was phenomenally paced, extremely exciting, and deep in content. I very much adored Silver in the Bone!

Tamsin is a Hollower. A glorified grave digger in a dangerous, magical world. The main force driving Tamsin is her brother and his curse. She does what it take to survive and keep both of them alive, after they were abandoned by their foster father.

This story is sold as a ya fantasy steeped in the King Arthur myth. There isn't a lot, or enough, of the myth in the story--I wish there was more. I have enjoyed previous work but this author and this book did not disappoint. It was a little rough to get into in the beginning. The world-building left me a little confused as to what was going on and how things worked. Things did pick up and get better. I enjoyed the pacing of the plot, the characters, and the twists the book took!

I received an ARC in from Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. And this is my first Alexandra Bracken book—now I think I may have to go read LORE.

Genre: Fantasy (Romance elements), YA Mythology, Arthurian Retelling
Violence Level: Medium (death but not in agonizing detail + plenty of nail-biting danger)
Spice Level: Medium (Kissing but there's a scene where a man is hiding his crotch for obvious reasons which is why this rating is bumped up to medium over low.)
Representation: Very light sapphic romance (mentioned a few of times)

King Arthur? I'm in. SILVER IN THE BONE gives a new approach to Morgan, Merlin, Arthur, Avalon, Sorceresses, Druids, and all of magic.

Wow! It sucked me into its world.

Tamsin is the odd-one-out because she doesn't have the sight. Her brother, Cabell, is cursed. And then her nemesis, Emrys, ends up on the same job to find the missing ring.

Tamsin is sour and off-putting in the best way. She says what others are thinking or should be thinking as a true pessimist. Cabell is a Mr. McBroody pants. And Emrys is the rich frat boy who is so charming, and misunderstood once you get to know him. There's also a side character that is eternally sunny, and I loved her too as a foil for Tamsin.

After the opening 25%, everything gets really bananas.

Death, lies, and tragedy haunt them. The goal almost seems obtainable, and then it doesn't, and then the goal might get solved in another way. Do they have the facts? Is there a better solution?

What is the truth?

Is this a happy tale? Not exactly. People die. As in death is omnipresent. The book is obviously going to continue but not in that horrible we've-left-you-dangling-from-a-cliff type of way, but with a hook that put me on the edge of my seat. Oh boy, do I want the next one. I would read it right now if it was available.

The romantic elements could be in a straight-up romance novel. Glancing at lips, the fingers through hair, the heat in the belly. Mind you, I happen to enjoy these elements, and they're well done.

There are also TWISTS! Oh my, just read and see if you guess what I didn't. How many twists you ask? I'm not going to tell you because I don't want to help you in your guessing. (Cue evil laugh.)

This is a book that anyone who loved Arthurian tales is going to want to read—even though the focus is more on Avalon, while King Arthur is the springboard. It's also appropriate for teens (maybe slightly older ones) and adults.

I highly recommend this book.

Happy reading!

Oh my….wow! Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken is the first in an Arthurian inspired fantasy series about a young girl and her quest to break her brother’s curse. Tamsin Lark has spent her whole life protecting her brother Cabell and bringing him back to himself when his curse takes control. After their guardian went missing 7 years ago, Tamsin has poured herself into research harboring anger for Nash’s disappearance and fear that her brother would be next. When a sorceress offers to pay Tamsin an exorbitant amount of money for an ancient artifact, Tamsin can’t refuse.

Going into this story, I expected magic and mythology colliding, I pictured a medieval fantasy with knights and sorceresses. I was half right. This book is actually set in present day, magic is real yet hidden, and Tamsin and her brother are in the know. They are Hollowers, a glorified term for thieves and grave robbers who search out ancient artifacts for other magical entities. Their job is both exciting and dangerous, but also doesn’t pay well. With the disappearance of their guardian, Cabell and Tamsin are on the outskirts of their society, looked down upon, and often receive jobs that barely cover the bills. It also doesn’t help that Tamsin does not have the One Vision, what they call magic in this world.

While the entire story is told from Tamsin’s perspective, there are four main characters: Tamsin, Cabell, Emrys, and Neve. Cabell is Tamsin’s brother and the main drive behind her actions. Emrys Dye is her nemesis. He is the golden boy of one of the richest Hollower families, and he happens to be on the same job as Tamsin. I don’t want to spoil Neve as we don’t know much about her until midway through the story, but I love her 😀

This book is nonstop action taking us from Boston to the isle of Avalon. The magic system is complex, but not hard to follow. The characters are amazingly and wonderfully flawed. They are human in every way, and I could easily see myself meeting them on the street. I fell in love with the world, even though it is quite brutal. The way Bracken takes history and mythology and shapes it into her own storytelling is nothing short of brilliant. The imagery leaps off the page and is vivid enough to picture in my mind as I was reading. Fully immersive and unable to stop reading!

Overall I really enjoyed Silver in the Bone. Tamsin’s narration, her own struggles with magic, and what she finds throughout her quest is both heartbreaking and inspiring. And the end 🤯 I need book two yesterday please. Highly recommend for fans of Avalon and fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author who allowed me to read this arc.

I haven't been able to finish the book, but I am loving it so far. Alexandra Bracken has a way with words and it is so fun to be immersed in her worlds. She is great with storytelling and the world she builds. The only thing I had a problem with what I have read is it is easy to get lost in but other than that it is very good and can't wait to read the ending!!

𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔—𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔—𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆.

This. Book.
I’ve just finished an ARC and realized that I have to wait a long, long time for the sequel… and with that ending the waiting is already killing me.

I haven’t read the author's previous book, Lore, so I went into this one pretty blind.
In the beginning, I was a bit confused — the reader is thrown right into the action with little information or context. But in no time the story sucked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat.
What I loved the most was that Silver in the Bone kept surprising me. I was a bit suspicious of one of the characters — and rightly so — but I would have never guessed where the story ended up.

What will you find in Silver in the Bone?
— magic & curses
— action-packed
— dark atmosphere
— Arthurian setting with Resident Evil vibes (might seem a bit of a stretch but I loved it!)
— found family
— slow-burn romance
— “who did this to you?” reversed (for once it’s the FMC to say that)
— twists and turns around every corner

I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a darker YA fantasy, full of action and terrific plot twists.

Footnote: though this book is set in Avalon and has a lot of Arthurian references, don’t expect it to be a retelling of the Arthurian myth.

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Many thanks to the publisher and @tbrbeyondtours for having me on the book tour!

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book and I absolutely devoured it. This book follows Tamsin and her brother Cabell as they search for relics from Arthurian legends, and end up in the mystic Avalon. I absolutely adored the characters, the storyline, and the setting. There were twists that had me screaming, and things I absolutely did not see coming, I'm not sure how I am going to be able to wait for book 2. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a YA filled with adventure, strong characters, a bit of enemies to lovers romance, and an action packed mystery.

Myth: 3.5/5

Starting a new series, Silver in the Bone introduces us to the world of the Hollowers and takes a dangerous trip to Avalon. Though inspired by Arthurian legend, I didn’t feel like it used much of the knights of the round table or lady of the lake lore that I’m familiar with. The inspiration seemed to come from Avalon alone and a new mythology was created around that.

Magic: 3/5

A world of magical relics, dangerous dark powers waiting to break free and magic wielders finding their place in the world. We definitely only scratched the surface of the magic system in book one.

Overall: 3.5/5

It’s hard to really get into a series opener that ends on so many cliff-hangers. It’s like spending a lot of time getting to know a world to wonder if you really understood it. I liked Tamsin and definitely find her story intriguing, but I was left wondering if the 480-page build-up was worth it.

In Silver in the Bone, Alexandra Bracken delivers a YA fantasy that draws inspiration from Arthurian legends. While the story features epic battles, curses, and an enemies-to-lovers romance, the world-building and pacing leave something to be desired.

The Arthurian references are plentiful, but unfortunately, they are not well-explained. Some descriptions are too fast while others are too long, which sometimes leaves the reader feeling lost and confused. The action scenes suffer from this same issue. However, the characters are well-done, with unique personalities and compelling backstories that make them interesting to follow.

The story follows Tamsin, who was abandoned by her foster father ten years ago, and her brother as they work to break into crypts and tombs in search of treasures. When they have a chance to get something that could save her brother, they take it, without knowing all the dark secrets that are waiting for them.

Despite the clunky world-building and pacing issues, the book's last third is brilliant. Dark, twisted, suspenseful, and surprising, it delivers a violent and gory finale that is worth the slower parts of the story. Additionally, the found family element and the relationships between the characters are some of the highlights of the book. The sibling relationship between Tamsin and her brother is particularly wonderful.

While Silver in the Bone may not be perfect, it offers an engaging story with interesting characters and a promising enemies-to-lovers romance. Readers who enjoy fantasy with a touch of Arthurian legend will find much to enjoy here.

Thank you to Random House Children's Books, Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Inspired by Arthurian lore, Silver in the Bone is perfect for lovers of classic legends and modern fantasy alike. Rather than being yet another retelling of the legend of King Arthur, it is more like a continuation. This gives it more flexibility, more opportunities for surprises and twists than an ordinary retelling. The lead character, Tamsin, is intelligent, snarky, and driven by her attachment to her brother, Cabell. Despite a hardened exterior, she is still very human and the audience is compelled to root for her. With a supporting cast that includes a girl with an affinity for vintage 90s style, a brother who bears a curse, and a snippy, rich-boy rival, every character is more interesting than the last. Alexandra Bracken continues to be a master of reinterpreting classics for a modern audience.

How cool is this cover? I loved it from the moment I saw it and I couldn’t wait to read this book. A quest for a magical relic, Arthurian lore, magic, mayhem, and let’s not forget, curses. All the criteria for a fantastic story.

I loved all the characters, and Tamsin’s definitely my favorite. The odds were stacked against her but she never quit. She kept going on, one foot in front of the other, even when the problems seemed insurmountable. And that sarcastic point of view? Brilliant! I enjoyed the banter between the characters a lot.

The book was a bit slow at the start but picked up pretty fast. Excellent plot-line which wowed me away. All the twists and turns gripped my complete attention and I definitely did not see them coming. Secrets woven within secrets and red herrings that kept you guessing. I couldn’t believe all the things that happened in this story!

This was my first book by Alexandra Bracken and I enjoyed it so much, I read it in one sitting! I’m already super excited to read her other books. Plus, I can’t wait for the sequel of Silver In The Bone.

*4.5*

“Choose me, because I choose you.”

Silver in the Bone follows Tamsin who lives in a world of magic based on Arthurian legend. She sets out on a journey to retrieve a magical object that will help break her brother’s curse. This journey takes her to places she’s never been before and tests her sense of trust and loyalty.

I loved this book so much. This world pulled me in immediately. I really liked the characters and their relationships. I liked how vulnerable the main character got and the friendships she developed. The author did an amazing job of creating this magical world with high stakes and betrayals.

The only negative part that comes with reading this ya fantasy book was the fact that I have to wait forever for the sequel. I loved all of the characters and how the twists kept coming. It had the signature Alex Bracken feel to it but was completely different to Lore which I read and loved a few years ago.

Read if you like:
Enemies/rivals to lovers
Great world-building
Curses, magic, and Realm travelling
Arthurian/Welsh mythology
Complex characters
…betrayal

That’s really all you have to know. It’s definitely a book worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and PenguinTeen for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alexandra Bracken writes some fantastically cool YA fantasy stories, so when I saw she had a new series coming out I jumped all over that! Silver in the Bone is the first book in a new series where people with magical talent, known as Hollowers, search out ancient artifacts straight out of legend. Sometimes they take on paid jobs to find the artifacts or they may just seek out the artifact themselves with the intention to sell it or use it themselves.
Tamsin Lark may live in the secretive world of the Hollowers, but she was merely adopted and doesn’t even have the most basic Sight abilities. Even as a child she felt excluded when her adoptive brother Cabell could unravel curses with his abilities and she was constantly left behind. Their guardian disappeared years ago after retrieving King Arthur’s dagger and the two have been eking out a living ever since. As Cabell’s curse grows stronger, Tamsin decides to pursue the same item their guardian was after when he disappeared - a ring said to break any curse. This hunt brings Tamsin into a reluctant alliance with Emrys Dye, the son of the Boston Hollower guild leader, who she has hated for years just because he had everything she wanted.
While this book really dumps you right into this strange and magical world, the how, what, and why of things become apparent relatively quickly. The Hollowers live alongside those who can’t see the magical world, but interact with sorceresses and other magical folk for their work. They themselves are typically known as Cunningfolk, which are those with a particular ability. In order to travel the world for their artifact hunting they use portals that can whisk them to any location they have in mind, though if it’s a “Vein” made by a sorceress it needs a particular key and is often boobytrapped.
Tamsin and Emrys’s hunt starts in the mortal world, but they end up traveling to Avalon, the Otherworld where King Arthur lies preserved by ancient magic. While the story was interesting before this jump to a new land, the action and excitement (along with my investment) really picked up upon crossing to Avalon. Instead of a beautiful land full of peace and light they find a mist shrouded land full of flesh-rending monsters and a bare scrap of land where people survive.
I won’t spoil anymore of the plot (just know I’ve given you the bare bones of it), so let’s move on to more exciting things. Tamsin is a fantastically fatalistic character who intentionally makes herself hard to like. Despite this, I thought she was great if rather prickly most of the time because well, she’s had a lifetime of good reasons to be this way. Emrys almost immediately proves himself to be deeper than the impression that Tamsin has always held of him. Cabell is also a pretty morbid character because he’s been under the weight of his curse for so long and it only gets worse. He fears harming his sister and those around him, but also acts out. Mind you, these characters are all older teenagers who’ve been taking care of themselves for the last seven years. And then there’s Neve, a bubbly, odd young sorceress who also wants the ring that Tamsin is after so she accompanies them.
This was actually a really wonderful book and after the initial disorienting dunking into the world I really loved it. I’ve had a streak of wins with young adult books this year which is both unusual and pleasant. The emotional moments were quite impactful and there was a great display of young people beginning to speak about their feelings and communicating in a healthier way. And let me just say, the ending was spectacular and has left me adrift because now I have to wait at least a year for the sequel! The final lines left so many questions and really changed the dynamic!

I can see where people might enjoy this book, however I did not. Immediately at the start it felt like it was simultaneously an info dump and made more confusing than it needed to be. If you want a YA Arthurian legend book, just go for Legendborn. That being said, I was not a huge fan of Bracken’s writing in Lore. I enjoyed that book enough to finish, but I also have a personal connection to greek mythology. This was a DNF at 67%. I wanted to like it because I truly did enjoy Lore, but was never a fan of the writing. The writing here was similar, but I think that because of me not having a great interest in the subject matter, it was harder to read. I will not be reviewing this book on my social medias because this doesn’t fall to my target audience and I try not to review DNFs unless they’re truly just bad. This was not a bad book, just not the book for me.

This was such a great start to what I think is going to be an insanely interesting and clever series. I have always been intrigued by the old Arthurian legends and the fact that we get thrown into that world and it isn't the bright and glorious thing one would expect, grabbed my attention even more. The ending had me crying, screaming, CONFUSED, and desperate for more!

I really wanted to like this book. I love Arthurian legends and was excited to have a book that incorporates them. But I really didn't feel a connection to the characters or the story in this book, and I feel that the use of the Arthurian story was both rather simplistic and also as an easy way to get the worldbuilding in the book. Honestly, there was very little reason that this story had to include Arthur and Avalon. It could have been its own invented story and would have worked just as well.

The main character is extremely pessimistic and has trust issues. That's not surprising given how she's grown up, but it does make for a difficult read, to be in that point of view for the entire story. And although I get it from a narrative point of view, the character finally starts to trust and then is betrayed, further emphasizing that she should remain distrustful and pessimistic. Yes, this is the start of a series, so character development can stretch over multiple books, but I'd like to see at least some growth that happens rather than having the character pretty much be the same at the beginning and at the end, just with some new circumstances.

Also, the ending of the book was quite jarring compared to how the book started. Basically, the stakes don't seem all that high, mostly personal for this group of characters. But something happens at the end (avoiding spoilers) that raises the stakes significantly, to the point where it feels like I switched over to another story because it just didn't seem to fit with the first part of the book. Also, I feel that the death of a certain character was emotional manipulation, trying to get the reader to care/cry at the end of the book and thus perhaps feel that the book has provided an emotional journey.

The story ends on a cliffhanger, but it feels almost too much. But it's not enough for me to want to continue reading this series.

As a huge fan of Lore, I was thrilled to get access to an eARC of this (thank you NetGalley)! I really enjoyed her newest book and really hope we hear about book 2 soon. Although I did have a hard time jumping into the first half of the book, the Arthurian-mythology, action and characters made this a solid read for me!

Let me just say that I am BLOWN AWAY and screaming crying dying for the second book ASAP. Literal tears were falling down my cheeks in rage and misery by the end of this book (I may have gotten a wee bit attached to a character or two… whoops). And maybe I’m being dramatic, but I certainly adored this book.

“No matter what they say, or how much they lie to themselves, people don’t want the truth.”

Sometimes I read books and don’t like them, and I know that it’s a me problem because I’m in the wrong mood, but this was the complete opposite! It was exactly what I needed at the right time – a new and fascinating fantasy book, with interesting world-building but a basis of old and well-known Camelot tales, strong and unique characters, and a lil enemies-to-lovers banter to make me giggle and kick my feet.

You cannot – and I mean CANNOT – convince me that Emrys wasn’t whipped for Tamsin this entire book. He was W H I P P E D . And I loved it, because their banter was top level, and his adorable obsession with Tamsin was beyond fun to read about. Also, understandable Emrys, because Tamsin was freaking cool. She could be a little on the nose sometimes, but I loved her growth and stubborn personality, and her love for her brother just solidified my appreciation of her.

“‘It’ll be all right, lass… this once, give his care to another.’
No. That wasn’t right. Cabell was mine to protect. He had been, as long as I could remember.”

I really didn’t enjoy “Lore” by Alexandra Bracken back when I read it, but this book was honestly superb, so now I’m considering rereading that and seeing if it was a me problem last time… not sure yet, but let me certainly recommend “Silver in the Bone” to everyone – whether you’ve enjoyed her previous works or not – because it was brilliant. I need the next book stat – what was that cliffhanger!!

Thank you so much to the author for the free copy provided in exchange for an honest review, and the publisher and NetGalley for contacting me about an ARC for this book! Highly recommended!