I received a digital advance copy of Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew via NetGalley. Your Blood, My Bones is scheduled for release on April 2, 2024.

Your Blood, My Bones follows Wyatt, a recent high school graduate who has come back to the farmhouse she inherited when her father died. In the basement, she finds Peter, the boy she left behind, chained and left for dead. Wyatt learns that her family has killed Peter over and over again to gain the power held in his bones. The only way for him to end the cycle is to kill off the last of Wyatt’s line. With no one from her family on the property, things have begun to unravel, letting in the wild things that lurk in the forest. To rebuild the wards, Wyatt needs the help of the boy who wants nothing more than to see her dead.

This novel is one that uses secrets in the right way. It is clear throughout the novel that characters are keeping things from each other (and from the reader). But there are true reasons for the secrets, not simply a need of the author to build mystery. In addition to the secrets the characters are keeping, Andrew layers in many questions for the reader. Each time we get the feeling that we’re starting to figure things out, new events turn us back to asking more questions. In the end, the story felt complete, but enough threads were left to explore there could be more stories in this world with these characters.

While I did have questions about the time and place of the story (I felt we were in the past, but unsure how far, and not certain what country we were in), the specific setting of the story was well developed. We spend the bulk of the novel on the old property, which is being overtaken by decay. That gave the story a bit of an ominous air, as there seemed to be a time limit for how long Wyatt could hold on the house.

The three main characters were presented in a way that made me feel for all of them, even though we didn’t get a lot of information about them outside of this specific story. Part of why this worked well for me was the relationships between the three. They clearly cared for each other, and fought in all the ways you do with those you love the most. I rooted for them, and their relationships, throughout the novel.

While I did see the ending coming, it was built beautifully. I knew what would inevitably happen, but the author dropped multiple crumbs that allowed the reader to think maybe things could turn out well, only to take away those possibilities over and over again. It made for a satisfying ending.

Overall, Your Blood, My Bones was a hauntingly lovely story about secrets, loyalty, and fate. I recommend it to readers who like creepy houses, nature run amok, and romances that just cannot be.

3.5/5
Wyatt comes home to the house she grew up in, determined to burn it down, but then finds her childhood best friend (and boy she loves) tied up in the basement and sinister visitors. The beginning immediately leaves you hooked. Why burn it down? Why did she leave? How did he get there and how long has he been there? Who are these creepy visitors and why are they appearing?

It turns out Peter has suffered hundreds of ritualistic deaths on her family's property. He's semi-immortal, and though he never remains dead for long, he can't really live, either. Not while he's bound to the farm, locked in a cycle of grisly deaths and painful rebirths. To break free, he needs to end the Westlock line. He needs to kill Wyatt Westlock.

With Wyatt's parents gone, the spells protecting the property have begun to unravel, and dark, ancient forces gather in the nearby forest. (creepy visitors) The only way for Wyatt to repair the wards is to work with Peter -- the one person who knows how to harness her volatile magic. Magic she has long hidden deep within herself. And the past turns up to haunt them both. But how can these two work together when the best solution to their problems is to kill the other?

While I liked the quick start, unfortunately the world-building and backstory didn't really evolve as I hoped. The friendships do develop context and character development through flashbacks, and her father-daughter relationship is explained, the anger she holds from childhood is realized. But I was often confused by the magic, the way the wards worked - the Westlock familiar power and why her family's "cult" existed, how they functioned. The supernatural threats weren't fully explained and I'd have liked to know more about them. I was left wanting more understanding of how Peters's life worked and the relationship he has with the beast.

There were gothic elements and horror vibes I enjoyed and Andrew's prose is top-notch. She paints pictures beautifully, even when they are grotesque images. She knows the word for all the details to get it just right, even if I needed to use the dictionary feature on my Kindle to know what it was.

I enjoyed to slow-burn romance, and the complicated friendship between the three childhood friends. The tagline for this "A seductively twisted romance about loyalty, fate, the lengths we go to hide the darkest parts of ourselves . . . and the people who love those parts most of all" was there in the story and that is what I enjoyed about it most.

I did read Andrew's first novel, and so the appearance of characters from TWD was exciting, but if you haven't read it, I think it could feel confusing to not know them as their stories are complicated and they are not fully introduced in this. It changed the tone of the novel in part three a bit to change the setting and bring in additional characters after being so secluded for the first 3/4s.

Overall, an enjoyable genre blending read with elements of supernatural, horror, suspense and romance; at times chilling and then at others emotional.

Title: Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew
Publication Date- 04/02/24
Publisher- Scholastic Press
Overall Rating- 3 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Before I go into my review I want to say that I DNF’d this book about 15 percent in. Why the 3 star rating you may be wondering? Any book I DNF unless it’s for a specifically bad reason, I give a rating of 3 stars to be fair.

This is a YA fantasy, horror, gothic book. Those alone should have been something I really enjoyed. However, the writing style and method of storytelling didn’t work for me. It felt like reading a fever dream and at times I couldn’t fully understand what was happening or what I should be paying attention to. The main reason I gave this a 3 star is because I recognize that these are personal preferences and don’t make this book not worth reading. There will be a lot of people who really enjoy the way this story is told.

At times, in the 15 percent I read, the plot points felt very convenient which is one of my personal pet peeves. It felt like the character stumbled into one thing and the next in a convenient fashion. I felt like I had a hard time keeping up with the story and understanding where we were going. Sometimes in books I enjoy that feeling. For me, something felt off and disjointed and I didn’t find the reading experience enjoyable.

Now, I still think you should give this book a try. It’s important as a reader and reviewer to recognize when a book just isn’t for you. That was the case for this one and I urge you to give it a try yourself.

Some positives I noticed in my 15 percent were that it was erie and unsettling, gothic and creepy. Those elements were strong and if that’s something you’re looking for as a reader pick this up. It’s not like anything I’ve attempted to read before.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Should I be surprised I loved this book? No. I’m for sure a fan of tragic outdoorsy horror love stories. Was I crying at the end? Yes. I should have known it would happen. This story ripped my heart out at the end.

I loved the trio so much. Even though they were there for mixed reasons, Peter and James still really seemed to love Wyatt and care about her. She was the one keeping them all together.

The claustrophobic darkness you feel through the book is beautiful and the feel of nature fighting back against you is always fun to read. I really enjoyed seeing Wyatt understand her powers and understand who she was. Peter was my favorite but James grew on me the more we knew about him. I also realized as I was writing my review that Delaney and Colton are from her last book. As I was thinking that it seemed like we didn’t know that much about them and they were dropped into the story, it all made sense. I’ll have to read that one to understand more I guess!

100% here for all the vibes this book gave off and I want to read more like it.

I knew from the first chapter or two of this book that it was going to be an amazing 5-star read and I was 100% correct. Who do I trust? What's going on? What creepy demonic creature is next? I was slightly freaked out at times, screaming/crying at the ending, and just overall completely sucked into the story.

-Gothic
-Horror/Thriller
-Romance
-Covens
-Childhood friends grown up
-One of us dies and always comes back to life

"Your Blood, My Bones" introduces you to an unconventional storyline that challenges traditional genres, offering a fresh perspective on the fantasy genre. The infusion of witchcraft and magic adds an enchanting layer to the narrative, keeping readers captivated.

The writing style in "Your Blood, My Bones" is nothing short of lyrical, creating a vivid and immersive experience for readers. The prose is beautifully crafted, with each word contributing to the atmospheric and evocative nature of the story. The author's ability to paint scenes with words adds a layer of magic to the narrative, making it a truly enchanting read.

At its core, the novel is a slow-burn romance that develops organically, allowing readers to delve deep into the complexities of the characters' emotions. The emphasis on character-driven storytelling adds a layer of authenticity to the relationships, making the connections between characters feel genuine and relatable.

"Your Blood, My Bones" is a spellbinding journey and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something out of the ordinary.

Thank you #NetGalley & Scholastic Press for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

"Your Blood, My Bones" by Kelly Andrew combines romance, suspense, and supernatural horror in a compelling narrative that kept me hooked from start to finish. Andrew's descriptive prose creates an immersive atmosphere, while the well-developed characters drive the story forward. The gradual unfolding of romance adds depth to the plot, which is characterized by a unique blend of mystery and supernatural elements. Overall, it's a noteworthy debut novel that showcases Andrew's fantastic storytelling abilities. I would highly recommend this to all who enjoy supernatural thrillers, especially those sprinkled with romance and family drama.

I honestly am somewhat at a loss for how to begin this review.

In all honesty this is not a book I would have chosen on my own, I decided to get an arc because a book box I subscribe to is featuring in an upcoming box and it made me curious.

The first 90% of the book, I was SO on board. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved the characters and the mystery. I wanted to know MORE all the time and could barely put the book down.

That being said, it wasn’t perfect - I did feel like I was taking a vocabulary test at times and it felt out of place and some of the scene changes felt very disjointed and hard to follow.

Now, these things I was totally fine with overlooking because I was really enjoying both Wyatt and Peter’s relationship and interactions. But that ending?


**SPOILERS BELOW**








Absolutely not. I had to reread it a few times to make sure I wasn’t missing something. I didn’t like it when Veronica Roth did it and I certainly am not a fan of it happening here.

I know it isn’t a full on “romance” but it is described as one and it not having a real HEA is just….not it. Maybe I’m just not the target demographic but I will say this book had me in a chokehold until the end and now I honestly will never pick it up again and I don’t think I could ever recommend it.

I read the synopsis of this book about a year ago and literally could NOT stop Thinking about it. I thought it sounded amazing and right up my alley. It started out SO promising, but it failed to deliver a fully fleshed out story. The potential was there but unfortunately it just didn’t really go anywhere after the first couple chapters.

Update: I've seen a lot of people have doubts about reading this book because of the ending--I was one myself--or because they hate horror, but please give this book a chance!! The horror is not overbearing, and any pain at the end is worth it. This really is a great, beautifully written book, and it made Kelly Andrew an auto-buy author for me.

---

Um, I would like to thank Kelly Andrew for ruining my life with flowers and bones and a beautiful, tragic, white-haired, immortal boy.

The romance was heart-wrenching in the best way. It's definitely a slow burn, but the build-up that finally leads to their kiss is perfection.

Their love language is:
🌱She swings an ax, he pulls her closer.
🌱She locks him out in the rain, he gets sweet revenge.
🌱She knows his silences, he knows her everything.
🌱Hand-holding and longing stares.
🌱Thunderstorms and flowers.
🌱Dahlia Red lipstick and a little blue button.

This book is just as much--if not more--about childhood friends, growing up, letting go, finding your strength, and facing the hidden dangers deep in the dark forest. It has the best cottagecore vibes too.

The way this author can make a single, simple sentence have such an impact is incredible. I got chills many times and some creepy crawlies throughout, but it wasn't too much (and I did read it all in the middle of the night). Kelly somehow managed to make me like the widow, who's my worst nightmare. She also validated my belief that one should never trust a crow. I always knew they were evil...

Pedyr is my precious, hot, deadly-but-maybe-not cinnamon roll. Wyatt is amazing, and I adore her. I hate James, and no one can change my mind, but even he has his moments. But the real stars are Mama, the pygmy goat, and Slightly, the lovely feline.

Reading the last few chapters was like having my heart and hopes stomped on over and OVER AGAIN by the author...and then thanking her for the rest of the book while I sob over the ending. I typically hate endings that break my heart, but everything else was so good that I can't even be mad. I loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Netgalley and Scholastic Press, for "Your Blood, My Bones" by Kelly Andrew. I am like this haunted love story between Wyatt and Peter. Wyatt wants to destroy her childhood home but finds her best friend Peter chained up in the basement because he is Semi-immortal and uses him for ritualistic deaths because they are greedy. To be set, he must kill his best friend Wyatt, but this task is challenging for both cause they love each other. This novel is a sad and haunting love story between cross-star lovers. I like his book.

I'm torn between a 3.75 and 4 for this book, but I'm feeling generous today and will go with a 4 and credit that .25 specifically to James, who I wanted infinitely more pages of.

Wyatt (don't be fooled like I was, she is a girl, this is not M/M) has just been left the farm she grew up on by her recently deceased father. She has a lot of good memories there, spending summers with her best friends James and Peter, but also some serious trauma, and so she shows up with gasoline and a match. Awkwardly, she finds Peter tied up in the basement. Turns out, he's a cursed immortal being that has been ritualistically murdered by Wyatt's secret (to her) family cult for centuries, and the only way to free himself from the curse is to kill Wyatt. For reasons. Also, the magical wards around the farm are failing, and unless Wyatt kills Peter (also for reasons) the world is going to be overrun with eldritch beings and cryptids from the mouth of hell, so they're kind of stuck in this farmhouse together until they can sort that out.

The writing in this is beautiful, and first half had such promising setup. I love a good secret cult, everyone knows anything that can be classified as "stay out of the woods horror" is my favorite, forced proximity and childhood friends to lovers are bangers, and I'm a sucker for a romance with a being who may or may not be capable of human emotion. Unfortunately, I felt like a lot of the stuff that was posed as a mystery, especially around the magic system and rules, never got explained. I did like how the book ended overall, but I was left with a lot of questions and a little bit of pacing whiplash. I wish that either the first half had been faster to match the end and so my expectations had been tempered, or the end had been longer to match the beginning and bring that slow-burn gut-punch payoff I was craving. 
I enjoyed the dynamic between Wyatt, James, and Peter, and wish we'd gotten even more flashback scenes of them on the farm, especially some of them in pairs to show some of how their different relationships formed separately and as a unit. So much of their relationships in the present were based on their youth together that I felt like if I'd witnessed more of that then the current events could have hurt me more (in a good way, and yes I'm fine, shhh).

This is a standalone book, but I found out from reading reviews after that it's interconnected with the author's other standalone book, "The Whispering Dark". I felt like the characters introduced in the last 1/3rd of this story that are crossing over from that other book didn't fit here, and I actually went back and searched my Kindle file to see if I had missed earlier mentions of them because I couldn't figure out why they were suddenly there are being referred to like I should already know who they were. If you read both you'll probably find this crossover exciting, but for someone who has not, it just felt out of place. 

If you like Hannah Whitten's and Erin A. Craig's books, you'll probably enjoy this, and if you read it please come talk to me because I have a lot of thoughts that are too spoilery for a review. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Your Blood, My Bones is a gothic story about a girl named Wyatt, and she has one plan for the farmhouse she's just inherited -- to burn it to the ground. But during her final walkthrough of her childhood home, she makes a shocking discovery in the basement -- Peter, the boy she once considered her best friend, strung up in chains and left for dead. Unbeknownst to Wyatt, Peter is semi-immortal, and in order to be free from this, he needs to kill Wyatt.

I had high hopes based on the synopsis, which sounded super interesting, but I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would. The plot felt very slow, and would keep giving you little hints to keep you hooked, but then nothing would happen for many pages. There were new characters introduced quite far into the story, which I found confusing.

I also didn't like the writing. I’m sure many people will love the writing style in this book, but I just didn’t enjoy it and it made reading such a slog. Everything was over-described and had an unnecessary adjective: “lumpy wooly socks” “pale-as-milk hands” “sticky cockleburs” “beer-slick floor” AND “beer-slick hands”. Far more than a normal amount. I just started to find that annoying.

The descriptions were lofty and the dialogue was excessive. For example, look at the paragraph below:
“Tugging on a thick cable-knit sweater, she pushed out into the chilly haze of the early morning. The chickens scattered at her sudden appearance in the henyard. Atop his shingled perch, the piebald rooster ogled her through an oily black stare. She ignored his questioning warble, shoving through the birch-woven gate and out into the field, where a morning fog wisped off the meadow and ghostly gray coils.”

What I liked:
-setting
-the type of magic presented
-James

What I didn’t like:
-pacing
-prose
-I would have liked to learn more about Pedyr’s past and how the magic worked.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

This book was really enjoyable. The tension and suspension was really well done (in my option) for the first two thirds. Unfortunately, when it hit part three it felt like the entire tone changed. I loved the first two parts of the book and think that it is a great ya gothic type horror. There were things that I felt were a little silly in the story and hard to believe. I wish there was more showing and not telling in the first few chapters, it felt like we were thrown into the middle or a second book for this character.

I did have issues with the formatting for the kindle, it made it confusing to read until I got used to it. Also, I’m unsure about why the book was broken up into three parts and feel like it didn’t need to be. To be honest when I got to part three I was immediately pulled out of the book. Not only did the tone seem to change but there are new characters that are introduced that were never mentioned before in the book. It seemed to turn away from the plot for quite a few chapters causing me to lose all interest in the story.

However, I did enjoy reading the first two parts of this and the final few chapters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this title for my honest review.

I'm very glad I picked this up as it surprised me in a good way. I knew it was going to be at least partly a horror and the writing and integration of that part of the story is outstanding. The tension really builds for the first portion of the book when Wyatt is trying to fix the farm that is falling apart around her. I won't give away the plot by talking too much about the other characters, but will say that the interpersonal dynamics and flashbacks are handled very well in building the story.

I did think that some of the plot elements felt a little rushed at the end, however thinking more about it after finishing the book I appreciated the direction it went in.

Overall this was the horror with heart at it's center that I didn't know I needed to read. It is a story of loss, love, and hope with all the supernatural horror that I could ask for. There are no easy solutions in the world Kelly Andrew has created and I am glad that the story embraces that element.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scholastic books for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

I could not finish this book, but I am still rating it because I planning to order it for my library's collection. The biggest issue for me is despite my enjoyment of magical realism and some contemporary fantasies, I could not suspend my disbelief while reading this book. I've enjoyed contemporary fantasy young adult books like House of Hollow and What We Harvest, but this book was not working for me. I also found that the file was not properly formatted, which made it difficult to read. However, it is mostly the first issue that caused the DNF. The hooded men appearing outside the property line towards the beginning felt very juvenile, it just didn't flow well with the story. When Peter is introduced, and really the first few chapters in general, things are told and not shown, and there is not much explanation. There are confusing flashbacks with little to no context that I did not enjoy trying to figure out. This book was really not for me, but the premise is interesting and I can understand how someone younger than me or with different tastes might enjoy it which is why I still plan to add it to the collection.

4/5 ⭐️
If you’re like me and are a fan of spooky woods and things that creep around in the dark, then you might like this book. The set up of this is strange in a good way. It’s about a girl who returns to the home her mom had taken her away from. A home where her dad was more involved in the cult like following than her. But when she returns after his death to burn it down, she discovers her one childhood friend tied up in the basement. To make matters worse, she learns she has to kill him, the boy she once loved, before he can kill her and finally be free from the magic of the place. While reading this, it was dark and creeping, like it felt like unknown things were constantly watching from the shadows. But excellently woven in was flashbacks to the summers she and Peter grew up and grew together, alongside their final friend, James. This was beautifully written, with beautiful prose. However, I felt a little wanting. Like I think this idea had the potential to be more if it had simmered on the burner for a little longer. Overall though, I definitely recommend this book if you like spooky stories with strange ritualistic magic and a beautiful romance, both romantic and platonic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Publishing for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Scholastic for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars

Wow, I could not put this book down. This has me hooked right from the beginning. Wyatt and Peter were opposite in every way and I enjoyed the push and shove of their relationship. There was so much to unpack in each chapter and I was always left with more questions!

The author really did a great job of sprinkling past events during the current ones. I loved the flashbacks and getting more knowledge but not feeling overwhelmed by it. Wyatt was by no means perfect and she acknowledged it. It was enjoyable to watch her try to use her abilities and what came from it. She was almost just as tortured as Peter. Just in a different way. I appreciated she wasn’t afraid to feel her feelings or own her decisions.

Peter. My poor tortured child. Your chapters were my favorite as we finally got a glimpse at who you were. Who you tried so hard to be. You were definitely a product of your environment and it was intriguing to watch you fight it.

Overall I loved this book so much. The paranormal was just the right amount where it didn’t feel unauthentic. I don’t normally go for dark or horror so this was out of character for me but I loved it! There was a purpose for everything that happened and I appreciated that as it wasn’t just to add elements to the book. My only small complaint was the ending felt a little rushed. That also could be I was not ready for it to end.

This book is a story about love, childhood, loyalty and death. The world building is perfectly done. Wyatt, Peter and James are perfectly written. I don't want to give anything away because everyone has to read this book. This book is a must read. If I were to sum up this book in two words, it would be Hauntingly Beautiful.

Wow! Tragic and beautiful. This was an absolutely stunning read. Andrew has a powerful and lyrical writing style that just completely sucks you in and I was hanging on her every word from page one to the very end. The vibes were immaculate. Dark, mysterious, and devastatingly romantic. Certainly hit the spot for a satisfying gothic witchy read.