I'm usually a huge fan of Arthurian mythology retellings, but this one didn't really capture my attention. I wish the actual mythos has played a stronger role in the story - I liked the magical objects and the way they tied into classical references, but still felt like I was looking for more. I did enjoy Tamsin, the protagonist - jaded and grumpy but still emotionally vulnerable. I guess my biggest issue was that beyond the use of the mythology the story didn't feel especially unique.

This is so awesome!! A mortal that has magical abilities and trying to win a ring to break a curse. So wonderful I can't wait for the next book to come out!
I just reviewed Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken. #SilverintheBone #NetGalley
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Wow, did I really enjoy this book. I’ve never read an Alexandra Bracken book so I went in to this without any expectations. Arthurian legends, complicated family dynamics, and magic all mix together to make a really interesting novel. Tamsin’s emotions are put through the ringer but she always battles through. The last 1/3 of the book I couldn’t read fast enough! There’s heartache and unexpected betrayals with an ending that sets up a really great premise for the next book. If you like contemporary fantasy, definitely check this one out. I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next one. Thank you to the publisher, author, and netgalley for the digital ARC!

This book was not for me. Read other reviews. I wish I would have liked it because the cover was very captivating, but the story was not as captivating.

Thank you to Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers for the eARC of Silver in the Bone!

Let me preface this review by saying: I threw my phone across the room and yelled, "SHUT UP." Arthurian legend and lore, twists, turns, betrayals, adventure, romance, Silver in the Bone has it all. Alexandra Bracken's writing is action-packed from start to finish- there is NEVER a moment during Silver in the Bone that you will feel bored. I read this book from start to finish in one sitting!

I am so excited to see how this world and its characters grow, to see more magic, and to feel even more emotions than I did while reading this first installment!

Silver in the Bone was a steadily building story with such a cliff hanger ending I yelled ‘what?’ It took things I thought I knew about King Arthur and caused me to look back at the story line of the original story to compare or contrast. It was unique with strong women characters. It was not a predictable story line which took me longer to read because I thought about what was happening. The character development grew with the story. Tamsin matures as the story goes along and we are shown more of her world. But the twist at the end!!!! I’m speechless.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive the ARC for this book!!

This book started off a little slow for me, but it picked up in a big way, and I couldn’t put it down. The characters were well thought out, and the twists and turns were unexpected. I truly cannot wait until HOPEFULLY a sequel comes out or if this is turned into a series. Also, I hope there is a redemption arc for Emrys because I am deeply in love with him.

This book follows the story of a girl named Tamsin, and her struggle to help her brother control his curse (which sounds a lot like he keeps turning into a werewolf without any rational thought in that form) after they’re abandoned by their guardian. Mostly the story revolves around the Arthurian land and legends of Avalon but there’s also an interesting (if somewhat unexplained) magic system in place. Overall I really did enjoy this book even though there were some heartbreaking betrayals and one hell of a cliffhanger at the end

This book left me with a number of mixed feelings. I got sucked in right away, and read quite eagerly to find out what would happen with Tamsin, Cabell, and the other Hollowers. That is, until the middle of the first half, where I felt things slowed down.

There was quite a bit of world building that dampened the pace of the story. I felt the characters got side tracked by other things as an excuse to talk about the place they were in.

By the true middle of the book, things picked up again. And by the end, I couldn't read fast enough.

This book had some incredible twists that wrenched my heart and had me setting the book down so that I could grieve with the characters. I felt the author went for where the truest pain lay, and didn't shy away from anything that would lead the story in the direction it needed to go. This is a story about sacrifice, and there's plenty of that throughout.

This is not the book I expected to read when I read excerpts about it online. In many ways, it's just as good as I'd hoped. In others, I wish we would've had more collaboration from the Hollowers as a whole. I hope that we get to really dig into them more in the next book...something I'm quite eager to get my hands on!

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, Alexandra Bracken, and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. BY GOD I NEED THE SECOND.

This book took me a few days to read, it's almost 500 pages long, and the world Alexandra created was a bit hard for me to understand, I read quite slowly. I felt that I had to read each sentence well because otherwise I was already lost.

It's like a world where there is magic, supernatural beings and all that, but in the present. Like an urban fantasy but not because most things happen somewhere else (can't say much bc spoiler).

I think I fell in love with this book little by little, slowly. It wasn't love at first read (hahaha) because I admit that it was hard for me to get hooked and enter the world. But the last 100 pages just flew by and clearly now I need the second book in my hands, or in my ebook to read because WOOOOW.

The world is so huge that I think it lacked a bit of development based on where we found ourselves at the beginning of the story. But at the same time I feel that being a saga, it will be able to delve into other topics in the next book.

I loved the characters, I feel that he developed them perfectly. That I was able to delve into their thoughts, become fond of them and feel with them everything that was happening.

The PLOT has for many more pages and I think it was a slow and safe development to culminate with fireworks (without sound, because it harms people and animals), and with some tremendous plot twist that one is left recalculating everything that was happening in the book and could not see.

I wanted to love this one. The premise sounded great especially with the Arthurian legend playing a role. It just fell flat for me. Maybe this author's writing style just isn't for me. I had a hard time getting into the story right from the beginning. I was confused as to what was going on. I felt like we were thrown into the middle of a story and had to catch up. I couldn't get invested in the characters. I think this will be a big hit for most readers but it just wasn't for me.

Silver in the Bone is an epic fantasy novel that blends the real world with Arthurian mythology. Tamsin has spent her whole life feeling unwanted. She has no magic but trained with her foster father and brother to find lost magical treasures. One day her father disappears leaving only her brother, Cabell, to try and survive. After getting into a huge fight with her brother, Tamsin decides to go after a ring that will hopefully set everything right. However, she is not the only one searching for it. Along the way she teams up with a sorceress and a competitor from a wealthy family called Emrys. They must work together in order to survive and to meet their goals.

This novel was action packed and filled with magic, mystery, a little romance and more. Even though this is a young adult novel it is a novel any adult would enjoy as well. It is a long novel but there I was engaged with the story the entire time. I can't wait for the second novel to come out because there is still much more that I want to know about. This is a great book for anyone who loves fantasy, a strong heroine, and mythology.

Thank you to Random House Children's Books for this advanced copy.

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken is the first in a series of Arthurian legend-inspired Young Adult fantasies set in contemporary times in Boston and later in Avalon. I found Bracken has written less a retelling of the Arthurian legends and more used them as a springboard into a new world.

Bracken uses a lot of child abuse, neglect and abandonment here. Few of the main characters have experienced a “normal” childhood. Tamsin and her unrelated “brother” Cabell are both Hallowers, and both have been abandoned and somewhat loosely adopted by Nash who abandons them in turn. Cabell is cursed to become a dog when stressed. Emrys, the spoiled son of the head Hallower, has been subjected to something or someone that scars his entire body. Tamsin is a smart-mouthed pessimist on the outside but a scarred, traumatized young girl on the inside with substantial trust issues. Neve is a young self-taught sorceress who was also abandoned but retains positive outlook and a caring personality.

The world-building is fantastic, the magic system interesting, the plot twisty and fun with a huge betrayal, and the main characters are complex, layered, yet relatable and strong. There’s a hint of an enemies-to-lovers romance trope between Tamsin and Emrys. At times this book reaches the realm of horror, so it probably best for upper age young adults. My main criticism is that the ties to the Arthurian legends were not strong enough. They seem to be more of a plot device than a retelling—and, since seeing the movie Camelot as a child, I am a sucker for anything related to King Arthur. The book does end on a cliff-hanger; nonetheless, I look forward to the next in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Knopf for my gifted ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Silver in the Bone is going to be BIG when people get their hands on it in 2023, this book had me glued to me seat, reading like there’s no tomorrow. The use of Arthurian legend was really unique and exciting, especially when I’ve read a lot of really fantastic Arthurian stories this year, and Tamsin is a really fascinating and vulnerable character. We get so much of her emotional journey in this story, and I’m DESPERATE for the sequel after that ending!!!

My only complaint is that every once in a while there was a lot of telling instead of showing, like a lot of “I recounted what happened” in places where I think more dialogue would’ve been nice and a few quickly glossed over moments in the worldbuilding where I thought I’d maybe missed something, but overall I reallly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Requested it because I loved Lore (also written by the same author) and it feels like it’s been way too long since she wrote a book!

I will say that I enjoyed reading it and honestly some of it was super emotional for me there’s some really heartbreaking moments. Typically when I cry while reading I’ll give a book five stars and I’m somewhere between a four and five star rating.

This book was kind of billed as an Arthurian retelling but it doesn’t really feel like it because the Arthurian legend stuff is kind of background and serves more like a setting not a retelling. Essentially most of the book takes place in Avalon and there’s some characters talked about/briefly seen like Merlin and Arthur but they aren’t central. I think the description is a bit misleading.

The reason I went with four stars is there’s a LOT going on and some of the plot is messy. So there will be some spoilers moving on so BEWARE.

Tamsin and her brother Cabell basically make money by stealing magical artifacts for people. They used to have a guardian named Nash who disappeared one night after a job. It’s been hard for Tamsin and Cabell to live ever since and the guild of people like them don’t really help out.

Tamsin is desperate to help her brother who has the ability to turn into a hound of lore and who’s curse is becoming stronger. So she takes a job competing against the prodigal son Emry and the quest takes them, Cabell and sorceress Neve to Avalon. But Avalon isn’t like the stories. It’s dying, rotting and these creepy creatures are attacking what’s left of the people.

They’re searching for a magical ring and learn more about Avalon and it’s own curse so now they’re also trying to do a spell of healing if they get all the things they need. As they spend more time there Cabell gets help from a supposed ancient night to control his change. Neve learns more magic and Emry and Tamsin develop feelings for each other. We learn Emry is after the ring because he wants to free his mother and him from his abusive father.

They supposedly find Nash (their guardian’s bones) in Avalon but that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Tamsin has a lot of abandonment issues consider her birth parents gave her up, Nash left her all the time, etc.

Anyway basically Tamsin has to confront one of those creepy creatures and finds the ring, plus a sword that catches fire only when Tamsin touches it, along with the dagger needed to perform the ritual. But everything goes to shit.

Emry leaves with the ring (bitch move but also makes sense given his circumstances). When the rest of the group returns the creepy creatures were let into the stronghold and killed everyone. Turns out Tamsin’s brother and the ancient knight were responsible for and Cabell has been turned/tricked into thinking the lord of death is the only way forward. The spell basically brings Avalon back to the real world. The moment Emry leaves and Cabell’s betrayal are heartbreaking.

And then the book ends on a cliffhanger. Nash is alive. And Tamsin also has a curse (not surprising because she seems to have magical dreams that come true and there was a voice/lady who saved her from a death curse who whispered she was special. And multiple of things/creatures are whispering that she’s special.

One of my biggest complaints besides there being too much going on and it not really being an Arthurian retelling is that we needed more answers. The book should have ended with us finding out what/who Tamsin really is.

Maybe we will get more answers in the next book but honestly there are too many loose threads. How did Nash fake his death? What happened to him? If those were his bones why couldn’t they use them to find his memories like they’ve done with the other priestesses. Is Tamsin the reincarnated Lady of the Lake? Gwen? Arthur? Why did the librarian sneak them into the attic for years and how did no one realize? What exactly is the librarian? It’s kind of mechanical but…

I suspect Emry will return and be apologetic but he “had” to do it to protect his mom.

I really enjoy Alex Bracken’s work and this didn’t disappoint. I loved Lore and I was curious as to how she would approach Arthurian legend. I really like the magic system and I want to see more in the sequel. The main character Tamsin, I really liked although I know she’s not for everyone. She has a pessimistic view of the world and it is explained well why she holds this view. The romance is pretty tame and I enjoyed Tamsin and Emrys together. The friendships throughout were also great and I can’t wait to read more about the bond of the group. I want the sequel so bad after that cliffhanger,I can’t wait!

I’m a huge fan of Alex Bracken and just love her books and how she puts you on the edge of your seat as you are reading and needing to know what comes next. This book is no exception with how good it was. I do find this a slower paced book to her others, but I enjoyed the characters and the world.

Tamsin has spent her whole life chasing down magic relics and, up until his disappearance seven years ago, listening to her guardian's stories about King Arthur. She's just gotten a new job: racing against the obnoxious Emrys Dye to find a ring for a sorcerer. But as she finds herself tentatively teaming up with Emrys, their path takes them straight into Avalon--the very place of Arthurian legend.

First things first, I honestly can't remember the last time I was this antsy for a sequel--book one isn't even out yet and I'm already itching for the sequel. The story is full of tentative, mistrustful allies, bitter disappointments, and characters doing their best with the shitty hand they've been dealt. This book is full of curses (on people and on the land) and each was intriguing.
There are so many things I could say about this book: the characters and their relationships with each other are compelling, the curses drew me in, and there were things in this book that I normally don't like but that really worked for me here.

This was one of my favorite books of the year, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the sequel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars. Loved the world building and enjoyed the characters. The story was hard to put down and after that ending?! I'm annoyed this one isn't even out yet because I need the next one like... now lol.

TW/CW: Violence, death, gore, death of a child, fantasy violence, brief mentions of sexuality

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily writing an honest review.

Silver in the Bone is the newest book from Alexandra Bracken (Lore, The Darkest Minds). As a fan of hers and as a fan of YA fantasy, I was excited to receive a copy of this book. For the most part, it lived up to it. Silver in the Bone is the story of Tamsin, a non-magical member of a troupe of magical thieves. She lives with her brother, a shapeshifter, as the two of them struggle to make ends meet. Discovering the existence of a ring that could break her brother’s curse, Tamsin sets off on a journey that will lead them to places she couldn’t possibly imagine…

As I said before, this book mostly lived up to my expectations. Though the story was complex, it pretty much made sense as you read it. The writing was solid and the characters were interesting and for the most part fleshed out. I liked her take on Arthurian legend (although that’s something I enjoy no matter how it’s used in a book).

The book was, however, a little long. I didn’t really struggle to get through the pages or anything, but it dragged a little in the middle and I felt like it could have been tightened up a bit.

All in all, though, I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading the sequel!