I loved this book. Alexandra Bracken has done it again -- and I am beside myself having to wait for Book 2.

I thought she created such an interesting world, and I'm super excited to see how she expands on the Arthurian myth and legends for the next few books. I"m super attached to the characters, and you find yourself absolutely rooting for each and every one of them. This book has just enough intrigue, twists and turns, and romance to keep me interested!

5/5 for me, and I can't wait to have a copy on my shelves.

First of all, I loved this book. I didn't want to put it down.
It follows Tasmin and Cabell who are Hollowers, people who hunt for magical artifacts. Their adopted father was obsessed with Arthurian legend and was on the hunt for a legendary item when he disappears.
I really enjoyed the magic in this world, as well as the weaving of Arthurian legend without it being a retelling. There is great character building and wonderful friendships.
Now the question is: When does book 2 come out???
Highly recommend!!

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Children's, and Knopf Books for Young Readers for an early copy for review.

I am a fan of this author so I was super excited to read this book, and luckily, it met all of my expectations. I'm really happy with the way things went in this book, and I definitely recommend it. This book was super engrossing and I overall loved it. Anyone who likes fantasy should read it.

Tamsin is a Hollower - part of a community that find magically significant artefacts. Tamsin is enlisted to find a ring that may be able to break her brother's curse, and unexpectedly finds herself in King Arthur's Avalon, where darkness has taken root.

This wasn't at all a bad story, but I did find that every time I put it down, it was a struggle to pick it back up. There were a lot of lose threads throughout that made it very clear that this book is meant to be just a beginning, and I'm not sure it's interested me enough to read the next one!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh. My. God. This book was AMAZING. By far, Alexandra Bracken's best work! The world she creates and the mixing in of King Arthur and those well-known legends was perfect. I loved Tamsin and her relationship with her brother - and what drives her with breaking his curse. And this is what sets in motion the magical journey to another world and all the horror that lives there. And can we talk about that ending? Next book please!

AB smashed the mythology in her previous novel ‘Lore,’ so I was super excited to see how she would tackle Arthurian tales.

But the thing is, I don't think it's visible enough in this book. It uses the isle of Avalon as a setting and the death of King Arthur as a plot devise, but that's really it. To me, this doesn't feel like a story ingrained in Arthurian myth, but rather one that just takes place in a world where Arthurian mythology is a thing, if that makes sense. So I just wish there was more it.

Because everything else is so much fun. I enjoyed the magic system, the characters are entertaining to read about, and there are twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. So it is a pretty good fantasy book on its own, I just would have liked to see more of the mythology component. So here's hoping that improves with the sequel!

This was a fantastic twist on Arthurian legend! I loved the portrayal of Avalon and the rebranding of the high priestesses. As the MC, Tamsin is a bit hard to love at first, but you slowly learn about her past and why she keeps others at arms length. Emrys and Neve were by far my favorite characters - they jumped off the page with their every scene. The last quarter of the book had me hooked with its twists, raw violence and grief, and that ending! Readers will be swept away by this high-stakes fantasy adventure. I can’t wait for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Knopf Books for Young Readers for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

My goodness! Alexandra Bracken has done it again folks! I have not read from this author since the Darkest Minds series back in high school, but when I heard about this Arthurian retelling? I jumped on the boat so quick and I'm glad I did! The world created in this story is so lush and complex, but enough that I can steadily follow along with the plot. I could also easily connect with the characters and was left feeling anxious about what's in store for them in the sequel. I highly recommend this book for any fantasy fan!

SILVER IN THE BONE by Alexandra Bracken is an Arthurian legend-inspired contemporary Young Adult Fantasy set in Boston and later in Avalon. It's the first of a series, and stars Tamsin Lark, a young woman who hunts for magic and magical objects, even though she doesn't have "The One Vision" that would allow her to see magic. When the opportunity to acquire an object that could end her brother's curse is presented, Tamsin accepts the challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The world-building was fantastic, the plot twisty and fun, and the main characters relatable and strong. Before I gush some more, here's the setup.

Tamsin and her brother Cabell were abandoned by their caretaker, Nash, and since then, they've had to fend for themselves. Unlike her brother, Tamsin can't see magic, so being a Hallower — a tradesperson who finds and trades in magical spells and objects — is a bit of a challenge. The two siblings are doing the best they can to survive. When Cabell's curse begins to act up more frequently, Tamsin takes up the search for a magical object that may cure him. Unfortunately, Emrys, the spoiled son of the head Hallower, is also searching for the same object. Through a series of events, they are joined by Neve, a sorceress who wants to prove herself to the Sorceress' guild so that she may receive formal training. The group travel to Avalon, but it's not the Avalon of legend. Something's wrong. Terribly wrong.

I found Tamsin to be very relatable. Perhaps it's the pessimist streak I share with her. She's been through a lot, and has issues trusting people and getting close to new people. Ms. Bracken did a great job of showing, rather than telling the reader about Tamsin's inner challenges, and it worked really well. The other characters' reactions to Tamsin's pessimism, for example, were sometimes humorous in the best possible way. Her character arc was very satisfying, and I'm eager to read the next book to find out what happens next.

Speaking of humor, Emrys cracked me up. "You think I'm going to reveal my secrets to the only real competition?" he asked with an infuriating wink. "Though if you're up for a little game of Two Truths and a Lie —" But he also had his tender moments, where he demonstrated true caring for Tamsin and others. I found the enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance both fun and frustrating in a good way. Every time he called her by that nickname... so good.

A friend like Neve is a friend indeed. See what I did there? No, seriously though, everyone should have a friend like Neve. She's caring, brings positive energy, and connects with people easily. I liked her from the moment she showed up on the page. I'm not sure where the next book will take her, but I'm eager to read more.

For most of the novel, I felt badly for Cabell, a young man haunted by his curse and his past. He had layers, something every main character in this book exhibited. His were just... darker? More complicated? It's difficult to describe, but it worked.

There is big betrayal in this novel, and it surprised me. I'm eager to find out how it affects future books. That's all I'll say to avoid spoilers.

The action and adventure will leave the reader breathless and eager to find out how — or whether — the characters survive. As a warning, there's some pretty gory stuff in there, not enough to deter me (I've read Game of Thrones), but might be a little tough for other readers who are a little more sensitive. I don't think any of it was gratuitous, and it certainly raised the stakes again and again, and added to the world building.

If there's any room for improvement, I'd say that there are too many secondary characters in Avalon. I struggled to keep track of the different priestesses. Perhaps I wasn't meant to have them all committed to memory. Those who were closer to the main plot were well-developed and distinct enough to stand out, particularly Cait, whose fighting spirit and fierce devotion were knightly.

SILVER IN THE BONE is a well-written romp of a contemporary YA Fantasy. What an original take on Arthurian lore! It's twisty, has strong main characters, and is teaming with action and adventure.

Thank you to Netgally and Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest feedback.

Alexandra Bracken is a fantastic storyteller and proves it once again with Silver in the Bone.

In this book, we follow Tamsin, a cynical mortal, and her adopted brother Cabell, who has the gift to see magic. After being abandoned by their foster father, Tamsin and her brother earn their living by treasure-hunting magical objects for sorceresses. When one of those jobs is for a ring that just might break her brother's strange curse, Tamsin can't say no. Along the way, however, she ends up getting a lot more than she bargained for.

The world-building was well done in this book. Bracken did an excellent job of basing her book on Arthurian legends and still making her own story stand out. She takes these tales that we know and love and builds her own unique world. We still have all of the iconic characters and places, but with a darker twist on them. This book is still plenty enjoyable for people who do not know much about King Arthur. Everything you need to know about the ancient legends is right there in the book.

Wow, okay the girl power in this book was phenomenal. First, we have Tamsin, who I instantly loved. Due to the neglect she suffered as a child, she is very protective of herself and does not trust anyone. Bracken addressed this head-on and showed how those formative years of abandonment shaped her. She is quick to see the negatives, judge people on very few facts and is harsh in her point of view. She sees herself as unworthy of love or friendship and pushes everyone away before they can get the chance to see her for who she really is. Because we got to see this from Tamsin's side of things, it was easy to see why she lived like this. By the end of the book, we see lots of growth in her character, and I cannot wait to see more in the sequel.

Neve, the other main female lead, could not be more different from Tamsin. Neve is on the journey with her, and we get to see her and Tamsin bond. While Neve has her own hard past to deal with, she is optimistic in her outlook and free with her love. This was not presented in a way that made kindness seem weak, which I really appreciated. She does not let Tamsin push her away, and because of the effort she puts into Tamsin, we see a true friendship bloom between them. It was really sweet to see, and showed there are different ways for girls to be strong

All of the other characters were done just as well. I won't go into details (I want you to get to know them for yourselves) but they all had complex back-stories and characteristics. The dynamics between the characters were often fraught with tension and mistrust, but we get to see their work through these issues over the course of the book.

The only thing about this book that I struggled with was the pacing. One of the main ways we get to know the characters is through dialogue. While I enjoyed this, I wish it had been woven into the plot more organically. There were times when the characters were just talking, which is fine in moderation, but was used too much here. This was more in the middle of the book; the beginning and end were filled with a lot of action.

Speaking of the ending, I could not put the book down past the 75% mark. So much happened in the last quarter of the book and I was hooked! While I had guessed some of the plot twists early on in the books, Bracken still shocked me in the end. So many twists and turns took me by surprise, which was extremely impressive. It is often hard to have so much shock factor at the end of books, especially fantasy.

TW: mention of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, child abuse, and gore/blood

(review is posted to Goodreads, but will be reshared closer to release date)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy of the book for an honest review.

Well written and entertaining. Darker themes involving an enchanted magic using world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers for the ARC of this book!

I love Arthurian legend books and I loved Lore, so I was very excited to read this book. I wasn't entirely expecting this to be set in modern day, but I think it makes it a more interesting story and adaptation of Arthurian legend. The magic system is so interesting and I hope we get to see more of it in the next book. No spoilers, but I found this version of Avalon to be the coolest and kind of shocking version that I've read/watched. Tamsin irrigated me through almost half the book, until we put things together and you kind of understand her more and why she acts the way she does. Readers may hate her at the beginning, but I feel like they will have empathy for her situation once you get further in. She's been through a lot and by the end of the book I feel bad for her. The cliffhanger at the end of the book had me screaming. I look forward to the next book. Also shoutout to the best sidekick I wasn't expecting to love, the hand of glory.

This is the beginning of a new series and I was thrilled to be able to read the ARC. We are introduced to Tamsin Lark and her unusual family in a new and interesting take on a magic world.

She is a 17 year old without magic or the "One Vision" in a family with a brother and guardian who do have it. They are all "Hallowers" which are basically magical bounty hunters. They take "jobs" to recover magical artifacts. Her brother Cabell can break curses and her guardian Nash has the contacts in the magical community. Tamsin tries to do her part by being the researcher and putting in the work to find things that are missing.

This story is a take on the King Arthur series, but honestly, it does well enough on its own. This story takes us on a journey of self discovery from Tamsin who has grown up always feeling inadequate with feelings of rejection after her guardian disappears on the two teens.

The story starts 7 years later as she is still trying to finding a way to break her brothers "curse". She ends up having to partner with her nemesis when she finds herself and Cabell in the middle of the mess that was left when Nash disappeared. The story goes from there.

There is suspense, mystery, action and yes....betrayal. The story ends with quite the cliffhanger so I'll be interested to see where it goes from there.

Will I read book 2 when it comes out? Absolutely.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Books for the e-Arc.

Silver in the Bone was one of my most anticipated 2023 reads and man did Bracken really pull it off. Adrenaline inducing for sure, I loved her dark twist on Arthurian legend. The world building was intense and you’re thrown right in from the beginning. I was so invested in the characters, something about a prickly, cynical protagonist always gets me right in the feels and Tamsin owned that roll. I don’t know why I insist on torturing myself by starting series that aren’t completed because gah…that ending and now I have to wait. If you’re a fan of curses, sisterhood, the lengths you go for the ones you love, slow burn enemies to lovers (“Bird” got me every time, I hope to see/learn more of Emrys in the next installment), Avalon gone rouge/wrong, magic, monsters - I highly recommend this one!

Silver in the Bone was a wild, awesome ride! There was so much packed into this book. An adventure, a magic system, betrayal, and both character and world history.

I enjoyed the characters and how they changed and grew. I really liked the bit of romance that we got, and the whole world that Bracken created. I will totally be purchasing my own copy and (not so) patiently waiting for the next book. 😭

If you enjoy YA fantasy, or Bracken’s previous novels, I would totally pick this up in April!

Perfect for fans of Arthurian lore, Silver in the Bone is full of mythology and mystery. Bracken's work shines especially in the expertly crafted emotional arc of protagonist Tamsin, a teenage girl whose lack of magic and unknown past has made her feel out of place and unwanted everywhere she goes. Tamsin's emotional journey with her brother Cabell, love interest Emrys, and most importantly, herself, will make you absolutely ache. While the pacing of this book is slow for the first half, the second half will keep you turning pages -- and the ending will have you waiting anxiously for the second installment.

Thank you to Netgalley for this electronic Arc.

I'm a huge fan of Alexandra Bracken, especially her The Darkest Minds series. I was so excited when I saw the summary for this book and its inspirations from Arthurian legends and treasure hunting.

I experienced highs and lows with this book. I thought it stated off very strong. I loved Tamsin and her relationship with her brother, Cabell. I'm looking forward to the sequel to find out even more about Emrys and his relationship with his father. Alex is a master of imagery and the world of the Hollowers and the Library was fascinating.

Lows came with explanations of the Druids and just eposition in general bout the priestesses and their beliefs. I know it's central to the story but I just found that I didn't really care.

I knew Alex was already working on a sequel so I expected some sort of cliffhanger and boy, did she deliever! I was absolutely enthralled in the last 15? 20? percent of this book. I can't wait for this book to be released for all of you to enjoy.

This is a great book with interesting characters and exciting lore. Tamsin is my new favorite main character. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for book two!

My biggest issue is my own fault (didn't realize it was modern fantasy a genre i generally dislike) but I also felt like it was just a standard collection of YA tropes.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have not picked up an Alexandra Bracken book I did not love and this did not disappoint. Once I started I could not put it down until I finished. I want the next book now! I can’t praise this book enough. The world was so realistic and you truly feel like you are in the story as you read it.