The sequel to Silver in the Bone continues exactly where Bracken left us. Clinging on to that cliff. Plot twist after twist continue to ensue, because let me tell you, everyone has got secrets. You won’t want to put this down until you uncover every single one.

The cast in this series is so strong. Our prickly, fierce Tamsin tries so hard to protect that gooey heart of hers but let’s face it, she holds so much love for those around her. After so much heartache, can she really trust anyone again? We can’t help but hope she gets the love she deserves. I adore her romance with Emrys, as rocky as it has been. The character development, especially with these two, was top notch.

I absolutely love the added humor to this otherwise dark journey to save the world from Lord Death. Caitrona and Olwen being fascinated by mudane “futuristic” things, the bonecutter’s wit and snark, and even the hag’s sassiness made it so fun.

The various settings were atmospheric and transported the reader to each location. I really appreciated the added POVs to add more insight into some of the inner workings of other characters or actions. There are moments of laughter, heartache, anger and love. The intricately woven Arthurian retelling with the Celtic lore was well done. The stakes were high, the twists kept coming, and I felt this was a solid end to this duology.

I was so excited for the sequel after the ending of book one and it did not disappoint. Another great book by this author.

The Mirror of Beasts is the sequel to the Silver in the Bone duology, a young adult Arthurian Legend retelling. After giving the first book 4 stars and being left with so many questions, I was really excited for book 2.

This was a fantastic conclusion to Tamsin's story. It was very fast-paced, captivating, and thrilling. The Mirror of Beasts continues right where book 1 left off and has beautiful depictions of female friendships and family. The rivals-to-lovers romance makes a reappearance and compliments the story. Bracken's characters are fantastic - with realistic strengths and weaknesses and genuine interactions that readers will find relatable. Paired with the higher stakes adventure, the characters and world were immersive and engaging. I really enjoyed the many plot twists, and the way Arthurian legend is woven throughout this duology.

The Mirror of Beasts was such a fun read, and I highly recommend giving this duology a try. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alexandra Bracken does a great job with Arthurian retelling in a more modern age. Full of magic, quests, and secrets this is a great sequel to Silver in the Bone. Bracken is so good as blending the mythology with new twists that set it apart. It took me a while to remember what happened in book one but it's a compelling story that will suck you in while you watch the characters grow and struggle to win.

With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death's plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.
Legend tells of a “Mirror of Beasts,” powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror's strength to defeat her enemies.
Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a starcrossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.

This was a great sequel to Silver In The Bone. I loved seeing how the story continued in this book and seeing how the character growth from book one to this book. I enjoyed the overall storyline and the author’s writing style. Overall this was a great read.

Read this if you like:

📖 Quests
📖 Secret Identities
📖 Found Family
📖 Mythology

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

Yes I was glad to be back in this world. I didn’t want it to end so here is to hope we can more cause Alexandra’s writing its chefs kiss. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Avalon and the mortal world have merged with the release of Lord Death. Tamsin and her gathering of misfits, those that haven't betrayed her are tasked with finding a way to return Lord Death to his realm and save what remains of the worlds, all while still reeling with grief and the loss of the Avalon they once knew.

Huge thanks to Knopf for Young Readers and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

There is something about fantasy books that revisit old myths and fairytales but turn them into something more. We got that from Alexandra Bracken with Lore (which I loved), and I received Silver in the Bone from FairyLoot but since the second book in the duology wasn't released yet, I waited to read it. When I was approved for the ARC of The Mirror of Beasts, I knew the time had come.

Silver in the Bone, I am fairly certain will be my favorite read of the year. I know, I know, I have said that before but authors keep writing kick ass books and I can't help but enjoy them. Silver in the Bone was mind blowingly good. I am pretty sure that I experienced every emotion imaginable while reading it. I have never had a book hit me with so many reveals and twists that I had absolutely no clue were coming. And then there was the ending 😱 My eyes were bulging out of my head by the time I finished reading and it is one that I will reread over and over to get to live with the characters again.

Going into The Mirror of Beasts, I was a bit reticent. When the first book is that good you worry that the books following won't be able to live up to what the author started. I mean, it's Alexandra Bracken so I shouldn't have worried, but alas, I did. Because of this, it kept me from enjoying the start of the story, honestly I think I was also still reeling from the emotions of the previous book as well. When you go from an insanely good read like that right into another of the same genre, you should always have a palette cleanser. Something to help bring you back to an even keel, I usually will read a light and fluffy romance but forgot this time and it definitely impacted the experience for me.

You've become the map of my life. There will never be any adventure worth having, any prize worth finding, that's greater than you.

In Silver in the Bone we viewed the world and events solely through Tamsin's eyes. In The Mirror of Beasts we get little snippets here and there from both Cabell and Emrys. I really liked this aspect of the book. It gave new insight into both boys and the motives behind the choices they made in both books.

While SITB was more character focused, TMOB had a high fantasy feel to it as it pivoted and the quest made up the bulk of the book. I appreciated the lengths that Alexandra went to create this very elaborate magic system that intertwined with the tales of Arthur, Camelot, and the Lady of the Lake. As I said before, I relish in the worlds of reimagining and revisiting.

The only fault for me with this book is that it did stray from the character centric adventure of the first book. While yes, we did get more of each of the characters and their backstories, it didn't feel as authentic as in Silver in the Bone. Everything was wrapped up nice and tidy, and I kind of wish it wasn't. I think one of the reasons SITB resonated was because of all of the emotion and turmoil, it like life, wasn't pretty. All in all a fantastic duology that I will absolutely be reading again. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Silver in the Bone and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for Mirror of the Beasts.

I really enjoyed this conclusion. I love how this book was about the power of friendship. The sisterhood of Tamsin, Cait, Neve, and Olwen were some of my favorite parts to read about. I think all the character arcs were done well. There were also a few twists that I found fascinating. My favorite thing about this book was Tamsin’s emotional story. Going from not wanting to care to come to care so deeply for her found family was so emotional that I fond my eyes welling up with tears. Overall, I like how the story ended, how the villain(s) were defeated, and how the surviving characters ended up.

This book picked up exactly where the first booked ended. Right back into the thick of things. With higher stakes, more action and more tension then before. I love the way Alexandra bracken weaved in the Arthurian legends with her own twists and turns which makes the story hard to predict and kept me on the edge of my seat. This was an excellent conclusion to a great series. I enjoyed every moment of it all. Can’t wait to see what Alexandra Bracken does next.

Thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of The Mirror of Beasts.

What a great ending! Honestly I was a little apprehensive about book 2 because, truth be told, I didn't love book 1. Tamsin and her comrades have grown significantly since Silver in the Bone. And the addition of the Bonecutter helped! It was great to see Nash as an actual character too.

The plot if pretty fast paced, and all of characters get closure- maybe not in the way we want them to, but I like that everybody's stories got wrapped up.

I really enjoyed the entire plot, I just couldn't put this book down, and even though I struggled with. Book 1 it was definitely worth it because this book packed a punch for sure! Wouldn't change a thing!

Such a brilliant conclusion to an exciting, adventurous duology!!

I went into this book with nothing but good vibes – I remembered nothing from book #1, save being entranced by the rivals-to-lovers romance, and fascinated by the Arthurian retelling. And look, I worked it all out!! This captivating sequel followed on from book #1 with those same two enjoyable aspects, plus gorgeous developing female friendships (and sapphic romances!), and plot twist after plot twist. I honestly couldn’t put this book down – sleep was sacrificed a few too many times, but it was worth it!

“There was the sound of thunder, of the ever-crashing sea, and when the snow finally settled, only the body of the sorceress remained to tell of the Wild Hunt’s return.”

As always, Tamsin was a prickly, vicious fmc – always on her guard, but fiercely loyal. I adore her character, she’s so dedicated to those she loves, and honestly she’s just incredibly funny. And her relationship with Emrys… butterflies!! They’re so cute and so perfectly matched, and I adored Emrys in this book, as per usual.

“I would follow you anywhere. Through dusty library stacks… into cursed woods… across drowned kingdoms… You’ve become the map of my life. There will never be any adventure worth having, any prize worth finding, that’s greater than you.”

I was also really happy with how the book ended for the antagonists – it was satisfying and didn’t let the villains off with minimal punishment, which always irritates me. I truly have no idea how much of the Arthurian stories this retelling ended up following, but I enjoyed the unique storyline nonetheless, and had the time of my life with all the twists.

“Yeah, well, it turns out that men taking credit for things they didn’t actually do has been an ongoing theme throughout history.”

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC copy provided, as well as TBR & Beyond Tours for hosting this tour (schedule here)!

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Knopf Books for Young Readers. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Arthurian, Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Audience: Young adult
Spice Level: Fade to black scene
Gore Level: Medium-High (There are some gross images.)
Representation: Gay secondary characters (they kiss)

THE MIRROR OF BEASTS is the sequel to SILVER IN THE BONE. They must be read in order to make sense.

This book picks up right where book one left us: Avalon is destroyed, Tamsin is dealing with being betrayed, and she and her friends are scrambling to fight Lord Death. The magic is awesome—one of those cases where I never got tired of learning more in the world. It's a great blend of mythology and urban fantasy.

I was a little worried that this would turn into a trilogy. Whew! It wrapped up. But it was intense there at the end! If you read the first book, you must read this one. (Really, you're going to devour it.)

Secrets are revealed. Questions are answered. Death abounds. There are betrayals, lies, and truths.

It's fully satisfying. I couldn't imagine how the author was going to wrap this one up in a way that felt right. There is so much! I thoroughly enjoyed this duology and the new take on Arthurian legends. It's seriously action-packed as advertised.

I recommend it!

Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley, for the free E-copy for review.

As Avalon crumbles, Tamsin and her friends become the last line of defense against Lord Death's plan to unleash Anwnn's horrors on the living world. They hunt for powerful artifacts and allies to stop him, with the enigmatic "Mirror of Beasts" as their hope. Tamsin faces her secrets to harness the mirror's power and confront her enemies.

Embarking on this journey, I found myself drawn to this book's captivating quest and thrilling adventure. Tansy and her allies traverse to locate the elusive mirror that holds the key to defeating the Death King. Like the first book, Tansy must rely on her wit and cunning to unravel clues using her vast knowledge of myths and lore.

The narrative delves into the intricate relationship between Tansy, her adoptive father, and her brother. Witnessing her struggle to forgive her father and not abandon her brother evoked hope and heartbreak.

The underlying romance adds a layer of complexity, with surprising revelations about the characters, particularly Emrys and Tansy herself.

This fantasy tale encompasses everything I crave - adventure, action, complex characters, and emotionally stirring scenes. A spectacular conclusion to a captivating duology.

4.5 stars. Just like the first book, the venn diagram between the Mirror of Beasts and tropes popular in current YA is a circle in the best way possible. I've seen most of these things before, but never combined in this way, which made it extremely satisfying to read. I'm still obsessed with Tamsin and Emrys, but I really appreciated how much more the side characters were developed (including the sapphic relationship that I was hoping for in the first book). The ending was also very fulfilling and made me happy. I want a hag spinoff though.

It’s well written at the sentence level; there’s no doubt in my mind that Bracken has worked hard to hone her talent. My problem with this book was how much of Tamsin’s attention was focused on Emrys rather than every other character at our disposal. (I have nothing in particular against Emrys; as far as book boyfriends go, I’d even say I rather like him, but he should not have been the focus of this book in my opinion.)

When a book starts out with a new found family of teenage girls licking their wounds and weaving friendship bracelets and vowing forever, I really wanted more of THAT dynamic. Unfortunately for all involved, our fearsome foursome are separated in bits and bobs pretty early and often either physically or emotionally, which leaves more and more room for Emrys to become Tamsin’s consummate distraction.

And one of the other things that I really liked about Silver in the Bone was how unexpectedly brutal it was. This one didn’t quite have that same level of darkness that I was craving.

Mirror of Beasts was a great follow-up to Silver in the Bone and I really enjoyed it as a conclusion to the duology. Tamsin goes through a lot of growth in this book and I loved the ragtag team of misfits aspect to the main little group. The characters and their relationships are complex and I loved following their dynamics. I felt like the obstacles and dangerous situations were sometimes resolved a little too easily and the ending left a few loose threads, but I wonder if there will be a spin-off to tie those up. Overall, really enjoyed this book!

WOW. What a finish to this duology. I'm going to be totally honest, the first book (Silver in the Bone) was just a 4 star read for me. It was good but I felt it was missing something. Boy, did Alexandra Bracken say BET because I screamed my way through this book!!

Seriously, give yourself a chunk of time for the last 20% of the book because once you get there you aren't going to want to stop!! Also, I cried twice. It's been a while since a book moved me to tears in two completely separate sections.

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves the legends of King Arthur or found female friendship. The bond between the four female main characters was *chefs kiss*. As someone who struggles to let down her walls herself, it was nice to see the struggle in book form and see Tamsin accept and love the people around her.

Seriously, you should read this duology! I can't wait to purchase my own physical copy when it comes out at the end of this month (I'm really hoping Fairyloot gives us a matching copy 🤞🤞) Thanks Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

The Mirror of Beasts is the conclusion to Silver in the Bone duology, a refreshing take on Arthurian legend with amazing storytelling.

It took me a quarter of the book to get back into the swing of things. We pick up immediately after the first book and Avalon has fallen. Tamsin, Neve, Caitriona, and Olwen must find a way to stop Lord Death, or die trying.

I really love the world building, it’s such an intriguing story with lore, curses, and magic. Multiple action and tense scenes take you on a journey with the characters. I thought Tamsin grew a lot between the first book, learning to get over her fears and shortcomings. I love the girl power vibes throughout, magical sisterhood with very strong female characters. The themes in the final climax maybe made me tear up only a little!

New character additions created some of my favorite interactions, like Rosydd and the Bonecutter, they had me cracking up a little. I also loved the heartwarming moments with Tamsin and the Librarian. Overall, this is a great finale to the series and I hope more people discover it soon!

Thank you to Knopf Books for the review copy.

Bracken packs everything into this duology and it will forever be a top 5 series for me. For those who love Arthurian legends, a witty fmc, complex characters with full character arcs, devastating betrayal and sacrifice, and found family, this is a must read.

From the opening pages, the story picks up steam, and we're yanked through Tamsin's quest to stop Lord Death while getting glimpses of her brother's descent into darkness. So much of this is chaos thinly leashed by the determination of the Unmakers (aka Tamsin and crew), the twists and turns sprinkled with the perfect amount of foreshadowing and hints. Like Tamsin, you think you know but you probably don't.

This duology has cemented Bracken as an instant-read for me. If she writes it, I'll read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Mirror of Beasts! I absolutely loved Silver in the Bone so I was so excited to finish the duology.

Tamsin was really put through the wringer in this one, starting off with her still reeling from Emrys’s betrayal only to have Nash waltz back into her life from the dead.

This book was a wild ride and I absolutely loved it. Well, maybe not the parts where Cabell continued to be a toady to Lord Death, but the introduction to the Bonecutter more than made up for it. If you’re a crier, definitely keep tissues on hand, because I know I needed a few.

If you liked the first book, you will probably love this one. It was a stunning conclusion to the duology.