I've loved Alexandra Bracken's books ever since I read The Darkest Minds series when I was a teen, so it shouldn't be a surprise when I say that I was very excited for Silver In The Bone too! And it was just as amazing as I thought it would be!

Tamsin Lark and her brother Cabell have only had each other to depend on for many years after their foster father, Nash disappeared without a trace. Without any other skills and options they've had to follow in his footsteps and become Hollowers - the ones who hunt for magical treasures and relics, sometimes for a prize - and this involves numerous risks, especially for an ordinary person like her without any magical talents. When Tamsin comes across the opportunity to search for a ring linked to Arthurian legends that could help break Cabell's curse, she's determined to search for it. Even if that means going against many other Hollowers who want to get their hands on it, while entering into an uneasy partnership with Emrys, her rival and a privileged Hollower who seems to be keeping some secrets.

Not that Tamsin would trust him anyway - she doesn't trust anybody😆 But frankly I loved Tamsin not just because of how witty she was, but because she was very relatable. I know I'm sometimes quite pessimistic in general but hey you won't be disappointed if you're always expecting the worst and Tamsin feels the same way🤣 How could I not like her? She's so determined and ready to take any risk for those that she loves, but she doesn't want to involve herself in anyone else's problems. That doesn't stop her heart from softening when they land up in Avalon and she somehow does end up helping everyone though she doesn't want to at first.

“Tamsin, you don’t have thick skin, you have armor,” Neve said. “And while armor can stop some blows, it also means that no one ever really gets to see who you are beneath it.”
“That’s not true,” I protested, feeling my heart batter my ribs.
“After a while, they all stop trying, don’t they?” she continued. “They think you’re indifferent to them. They get tired of the negative takes. And what does that give you? A sense of safety? Or does it leave you with nothing at all?”

The book is a bit slower in the first half as we're introduced to everything and slowly find out things along with Tamsin and the others. The world building is a mix of modern and fantasy as they travel between different places, but it really picks up the pace after Tamsin, Cabell, Emrys and Neve land in Avalon. There's a lot of Arthurian lore tied into this and I loved how everything slowly unfolded. The slow development of the romance between Tamsin and Emrys was another thing that I loved and I'm very invested in this now 😆 The last few chapters were so exciting and omg after that ending I wanted book two immediately! Guess I'll have to wait 😩

Anyway this was a solid opener for a new series with the perfect mix of adventure, mystery and a sprinkling of romance and I'd highly recommend this one if you're looking to start a new YA fantasy series!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Alexandra Bracken for providing me with an eARC of this book. This is my honest review.
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If it’s an Arthurian retelling, I’m reading it! 🗣️ And Silver in the Bone was such a nice surprise! I can’t say much without jumping into spoiler territory, but I loved that this book took aspects of Arthurian legend that we don’t often see in retellings. It gave the story of feeling of familiarity while still delivering something new.
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The Lark siblings were so easy to root for. I immediately wanted to protect them both at all costs. Something about sibling love just hits so much for me. They’ve been through so much together! 😭 I like that the romance between Emrys and Tamsin is a slow build. I look forward to seeing how that goes in the rest of the series 👀 I also really enjoyed some of the characters we meet in Avalon. I get too attached! Again I can’t say much, but my heart is in tatters 😂
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I loved Bracken’s world building 🤌🏽 Not only did she come through with a different interpretation of Avalon and all its dynamics, but the mortal human world was equally as exciting. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love the idea of magic hunter-esque societies. The idea of Hollowers and how they operate was so fascinating to me. And the back story between the priestesses and the sorceresses! The exposition didn’t weigh down the story at all. I can’t wait to see and learn more 🙌🏽
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Silver in the Bone was an exciting read and a great way to kick off a new series. The Arthurian aspects were wonderful. Was the arc a bit predictable? Maybe, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I look forward to reading the rest of the series as it comes out! If you’re looking for twists on Arthurian legend, a strong FMC, and a sprinkling of enemies to lovers, you’ll definitely want to give this a shot! It is available for purchase in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook format.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I did opt to listen to the final production audiobook via my library. This is a bit on the longer side, the print book is just under 500 pages and the audiobook comes in just under 18 hours. Sophie Amoss did a great job with the narration. She tried to give each character a unique voice so you can tell who is who when there is dialogue and she also did a good job conveying emotion throughout the book.

This is the first book in a new YA fantasy focusing on Aurthurian legend and lore. I'm a sucker for anything related to King Arthur and Avalon and the many people and places often mentioned in the stories so this was a fun read. This follows Tamsin as she quests to find a lost ring that will hopefully cure her brother from a curse he's be plagued with all his life. She is also searching for her guardian who abandoned them years ago searching for the very same ring. There is a catch though, Tamsin unlike the other members of her order doesn't have magic and she isn't the only one searching for the ring. To have the best chance at finding the ring Tamsin will have to team up with unlikely allies to save her beloved brother and herself. In doing so she finds herself breaking down her carefully crafted walls in order to save her new team and a dying world.

This is a solid first book. It does leave off on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I kept expecting that so I can't say I'm too surprised by the ending. The book ends with alot of unanswered questions, but it does set us up nicely for book two. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and I'm anxious to find out what happens next. I really loved all of the lore and legend that Bracken wove into the story. There are alot of characters to keep track of and quite a few different plotlines to keep straight. This is complex and is action packed; the fight scenes do get a little dark and gory. There is some character development happening, but we are still missing alot of the backstory on many of the characters. I suspect we will get to know more about Tamsin's origins as well as the other characters in the next book. We see the most growth from Tamsin, which makese sense as she is the main character and she really makes alot of growth trusting the people around her and beginning to care about others. The world building was really well done. Bracken did a great job crafting a fantasy world that I don't want to spoil.

I found parts of this to be fairly predictable but it didn't make it any less enjoyable. Part of the reason I enjoy YA fantasy is because it is fun and I know what to expect. The tropes are familiar and I keep coming back for more. I think they really work well here and I can't wait to find out what happens next. This is a fun new take on the legend of Avalon and King Arthur and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on book 2.

I really kind of liked the first third or so, but then I quickly became disinterested in the story around the time they got to Avalon. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I think most of the disinterest came from me just not connecting with the writing style. A lot of this feels rather like a questing book, which I just don't really like in general, so that's not really the book's fault.

The worldbuilding also confused me a bit too. I was totally convinced this was set in an alternate fantasy world, but then "Egypt" was mentioned about a fourth of the way through the book, which through off my entire perception about what type of world the characters were living in. I think this could have benefitted from a bit more explanation around the world to clear up some confusing points like that.

I think there's an audience that will enjoy this book, but unfortunately, that audience is not me.

Unfortunately, this wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't quite finish the whole book because I wasn't enjoying myself, and life is too short to read things you aren't enjoying.

This is probably completely a me thing, and I can see the appeal for other readers. I've learned from this that I don't really like fantasy set in more modern times or in our real world. Parts of this take place in places like New Orleans and other parts of the U.S. and world as a whole. There are cell phones and other modern amenities. I just wasn't feeling this.

The main character annoyed me to no end. This isn't out of the ordinary for me, but this one seemed worse than others. She's just quite rude with no real reason to be. I get that we want strong female characters in books, but that doesn't mean that they have to be rude or make stupid decisions because they think they never need help.

I have nothing against the writing itself or the idea for the book. Both are fine. There are some interesting ideas here, and I wish I was more on board for it. I would probably still say give it a try if the premise sounds interesting and you like books like this. There are a lot of people giving it great reviews, and I really wish I was one of them.

Tamsin sets off on a quest to find The Ring of Dispel, which could hold the answers she desperately seeks in order to break her brothers curse. Unfortunately, she is not the only hollower in search of the ring and a race to the ring ensues. When her quest lands her in the Isles of Avalon, she realizes things are much more dire than they first seemed. Plopped down in an Arthurian nightmare Tamsin and her rag tag group of friends try to uncover the secrets of the isle before it is too late and the curse of the Isle claims them!

Wow, what a ride! I enjoyed this book so much. The setting, the magic system, and the characters were all developed so wonderfully. If you are looking for a fantasy book that focuses more on friendship, camaraderie, and adventure, look no further. I will preface by the saying that the pacing through the middle slows a bit, laying foundation for a pretty eventful ending. I will say Bracken has me invested and can’t wait to read book two and hopefully get some of my questions answered!

Special Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for gifting me with an ARC!!

This book started out slow for me, but the last 100 pages or so really sold me on it, and I am so excited for book 2. Tamsin is a prickly protagonist, but it makes sense, and while she is prickly, I still liked being inside her head and following her. The world-building/lore was easy to understand, and I liked the Arthurian connection/basis, but with its own world on top of it. I also really appreciated that this book has consequences - to the point where I kept expecting something to be reversed in the end because "well a lot of YA fantasy books have things get magically fixed" and it doesn't, which was really nice (even if in the back of my mind I was wondering how much I could trust).
I would say this book is totally worth it, but don't DNF it if it seems slow. It does take awhile to have all the pieces fall into place, but it is definitely worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I throughly enjoyed this story, I was engaged from start to finish. I thought the cast of characters were likable and I enjoyed then main characters POV. The romance is light in this book which is nice as I felt it gave the plot the time to shine. I’m usually not a huge fan of Round Table retellings but this was quite good. I liked how it mixed the real world in with Avalon.

I would recommend this book to any YA fantasy lover. I cannot wait to read book two!

I was sold when Silver in the Bone was slated as influenced by Arthurian Legend!

I know people have hot takes when it comes to urban fantasy, but i've always really enjoyed it. I love how the characters were slowly introduced and as you go...you grasp the world building right alongside the main character. The search for mythical objects and the fight to break a deadly curse was done really well.

I felt like even though this is Urban fantasy, majority of the book is set in a mythical cursed city so it does still have that darker fantasy feel with a cast of creepy deadly creatures. The main character is prickly and unlikeable but I enjoyed her and her interactions with the supporting cast. I LOVE LOVED the romantic love interest. The proclamation was so incredibly sweet and I cannot wait to see where that leads. I am invested!

The middle is where it slowed and I thought the pacing was off BUT BUT BUT the last 25% was SO GOOD. It was full of plot twists and reveals AND ACTION! There are so many new avenues to explore heading into a book 2! I think overall the book just kept getting better and I do love when a YA feels truly YA and I could recommend this to all ages.

I will definitely be reading the sequel!

Overall this was a really enjoyable read!

I will lead by saying that my experience with this was kind of inconsistent. Sometimes I felt enamored with the plot, lore & magic, and others I felt myself losing a lot of interest. The number one reason for this is likely that I didn’t really care deeply about many of the characters (aside from Neve who I loved!). That being said, the story itself was still quite engrossing.

If you’re expecting something really deeply rooted in Arthurian myth, I also think it’s important to mention that the Arthurian aspect of this was quite loose. We have a magical realm version of Avalon, but everything else feels quite removed from Arthur and his round table. This isn’t a pro or a con, just something to set expectations.

The threat facing Avalon was absolutely frightening and made for some impactful battle scenes, which Bracken writes expertly. While I found myself a bit frustrated with Tamarin’s push and pull routine, I do believe that Bracken wrote her hurts and traumas with a lot of care and complexity, and her talent shows in this. Tam sun and Emrys had a fun dynamic, and I can see a lot of readers liking Emrys especially, even though he didn’t resonate much for me.

I think what really managed to suck me in was the lore and magic, and how the little found family bands together to try and save Avalon. And then… there’s THAT ENDING. I don’t know if I’ve ever been slapped with so many devastating events at once. The last 100 pages had me suspended in a state of shock and disbelief, and the way all of these events were written by Bracken just hit SO hard.

Overall, I think I will likely continue this series, but it also doesn’t stand out to me as one I will remember for very long. Thank you to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for the eArc of this title!

Absolutely in love with this! I am so stunned by the ending, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!

4.5 stars

This book drew me in from the very first page – it was very hard having to put it down and do some adulting. The story line was superb. It took the mythology and lore of King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table and expended upon it in ways I could have never imagined.

Tamsin and her brother Cabell have been abandoned by their adoptive father Nash. Together they work on recovering folk lore type relics. But Tamsin often feels left out seeing as she doesn’t have the One Vision that helps her to see magic and curses. 7 years since Nash had disappeared, they now find themselves searching for the last relic Nash was looking for The Ring of Dispel.

The action and adventure was perfectly unpredictable and perfect. You should definitely one-click this today!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley for opportunity to read and review this book.

Anything. And I mean anything by Alexandra Bracken is something I know will always be five stars for me. I feel bad this review is coming so late but I began to read the arc and I knew I just needed a physical copy to be able to dive in.
First, I love how she interpreted the Arthurian legend and lore in this. Lore, get it? Hehe. Anyways, Emrys *swoon*.
I feel like I can’t say what I want to say because I don’t want to spoil this and want everyone to be able to go into it experiencing it as I did and let yourselves be ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY. Need the second book ASAP

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers for this eARC for review!

50000/5 stars!

This book absolutely blew me away. Since I missed pub day, I grabbed the audiobook on Audible and that was hands down the best decision I have ever made. I was DEVOURING this on my drives to and from work, walking from my work parking garage, literally any chance I could get and yet I never wanted it to end.
When I say I cried on my drive to work tonight and SCREAMED during chapters 42-the end of the book, I am not kidding. This book was high-octane start to finish and was such a great balance of being plot and character based. I got so attached to every small character and all of their little moments, so the ending of this book absolutely sent me straight into oblivion.
Everything about the plot to the character's features/storylines were interwoven so beautifully, and nothing was EVER obvious or turned out to be what I tried to guess. The world that Alexandra wove together with Arthurian legend/zombies??/treasure hunters/the real world was SO unique, and was completely immersive. There was also a perfect balance of sprinkled in light-hearted/joke moments throughout the constant tension and intensity of the events taking place. Neve also deserves a gold metal for basically just everything.

***SPOILER*** I will be screaming in agony about Dary and Flea for the REST OF MY LIIIFFEEEEE.

I devoured this book and need the next one as soon as possible. Tamsin is such a tough character and has a stubborn personality but I loved her. I love all the Arthurian legends and stories that were included and how the story was told. I also how in the end it also became a story of found family and how some people are worth caring for and there for you. I already can’t wait for the next one to come out

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and the lovely Alexandra Bracken for providing me with an eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review, all opinions are my own.

I'm a sucker for anything Arthurian, for the fantasy and magic involved, and this one was no exception. I love the way Bracken writes and I was so excited to see this was coming out.

This was such a good book, I loved the world-building and the weaving of the tale as it went- definitely cannot wait to have this book in my hands physically. Some potential enemies to lovers, magic, and action, this book has something in it for everyone.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. While I loved the Arthurian themes, it felt it was more put on than organic, just to make it interesting. Had to DNF at 30%.

Still getting the book for the collection though, because while it wasn't for me, I'm sure other readers will enjoy it.

She did it again, amazing world building, characters and development on the story. Alexandra has such an amazing way of telling stories this book is definitely one too look for .

I know this book had some mixed reviews (like most books), but let me just tell you about the absolute chokehold AB had me in while reading her book. I don't usually love retellings (Romeo and Juliet, King Arthur and the Round Table, etc). So I didn't have super high expectations for this book. But boy was I wrong about everything this book has to offer (thankfully)!

AB weaves the old tales of Arthur and his knights together with magic and sorcery, and created a world that I was happy to be sucked into. The world-building was detailed enough for me to picture exactly where our main characters were pretty much at all times. There were a few more characters for me to memorize than in other books, but I love the relationships that were built and torn apart, the drama that ensued, and the danger and battles that don't always have a victorious or happy ending - it all came together to create a compelling story.

There were some parts in the story that felt a little drawn out to me, but they are details that become important later as the past and present come together piece by piece. I also found Tamsin to be a fairly relatable character as I'm certain that everyone at some point in their life has felt unwanted or unseen and put up a wall because of it. As with any "scarred" character, she did become too closed off at points and left me as the reader yelling at her to just tell someone about her findings, but alas, the drawn-out pieces did serve a purpose in the long game of the plot.

I absolutely would recommend this book to anyone looking for potential enemies to lovers, the strength of family given or chosen, mysterious riddles, nail-biting battles, and an FMC that grows beyond her learned coping mechanisms.

Thank you to Alex Bracken, Random House Children's, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Silver in the Bone is actually the first Alexandra Bracken novel I've read, despite following her for a long time. I'm a big fan of BBC's Merlin, so the premise of an Arthurian fantasy novel was very compelling to me.

I was overall a fan of this book. I loved the characters - Tamsin, Emrys, Cabell, and Neve were great. The world building and the magic system - and especially the way in which magic and the "modern" world co-exist but remain separate was well done and compelling. However, I found most of the middle of this book a slog to get through - I thought the pacing was kind of slow, though this is the first fantasy novel (that isn't cozy, low-stakes fantasy) I've read in a long time, so maybe I am just losing interest in these kinds of fantasy novels? The ending was super compelling though (no spoilers here!) and I am interested in reading the next book in this (I believe) duology.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.