This book was unexpectedly good. Romantasy books lately have felt rather subpar but this one was very satisfying. The fantasy element as much as the romance felt well developed and interesting. The characters had the right balance of flaws and abilities/badassery. I am not usually a fan of the poor little damsel picked up by the brutes... but this was well done. You could see that although the FMC was indeed in distress, she had so much potential and would grow into her power... which the author took her time to make happen still without being annoying.

I loved the dynamic between Silla and Rey and how their relationship evolved from animosity to attraction -- very slow but still fun to watch. I like how someone can hold so many different roles in your life as you grown into yourself (pain in the butt, brutal teacher, undesired crush...). Rey is your perfect secretive, dark and broody man with a complicated past and a tight honor system... and he can't seem to resist wanting to help Silla. I also did like how she slowly but surely came to discover herself and her power while being hunted by people and creatures and betrayed again and again.

After finishing this book I ran and got the second one, I wasn't ready to leave this world yet. I needed more of the characters. Highly recommend the series.

I’m definitely in my Viking Romantasy era! What an exciting concept for a new series. I’m an absolutely hooked and will continue to read the series as they are published.

The Road of Bones, by Demi Winters, is the first installment in the author's The Ashen Series. According to the publisher, this is the first of what appears to be a five-book series. This story falls within several categories: enemies to Lovers, Forced proximity, and slow-burn romance. From self-published authors like Jennifer Armentrout to the blockbuster bestseller that is Rebecca Yarros’s The Fourth Wing, readers are hungry for fantasy storytelling where the romance is front and center but also delivers plenty of world-building, action, and adventure.

In this epic and immersive Viking-inspired, multiple POV's, romantic fantasy, a woman fleeing a ruthless assassin accidentally joins forces with a group of mercenaries and must use all her cunning to escape with her life—and heart—intact. 20-year-old Silla Nordvig has spent years traveling with her father for work, using different names in each town for safety. When her father is killed in a skirmish with bandits, he tells Silla to travel to Kopa, where a shield house awaits. It's a journey that requires her to travel the Road of Bones - a thousand-mile stretch that is so named because it's made with the bones of those who have died on it.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, she hitches a ride with the Bloodaxe Crew (Jonas, Reynir, Hekla, Gunnar, and Ilias) - a group that's just as dangerous as their name suggests. A group with a contract from the Queen Signe to travel North where they hunt monsters who appear to be coming out of the mist. Silla has to take her chances by convincing them to help her survive the Road of Bones and reach Kopa before the Queen's assassin finds her. Silla Nordvig is running for her life. The Queen of Íseldur has sent warriors to bring Silla to Sunnavík, where death awaits her. Why, you ask? Sorry, can't tell you!

To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. All the while, the queen's ruthless assassin, Skraeda, hunts Silla obsessively. Skraeda has some interesting secrets of her own that become apparent later in the story. The web of secrets Silla had believed her whole life starts to unravel and she is left to pick up the pieces and find out the answers she desperately needs. Meanwhile, the identity of who Silla really is hangs over the story like a snake ready to strike at a moment's notice. And, if that wasn't enough, the author strikes a blow to your feelings by revealing yet another plot twist that will have you questioning everything.

The middle portion had some major pacing issues. There was not enough action for a supposed dangerous road haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer. I wasn't completely sold on the romance, but there was a specific reason that wasn't revealed until later. At times, Silla, (spoiler alert, not her real name), got on my nerves with her naivety and inner monologue. The world building is rich with Viking lore and complex characters, and while I came to hate the romance for reasons I won't spoil, I think that events ended up taking Silla right where she needed to be.

I’ve always been a fan of Norse mythology so I was super excited to read this one! I also love a good fantasy romance. I think this was a solid start to a new series. It has multiple POVs, forced proximity, found family, evil queen, Vikings and so much more. Can’t wait to continue the rest of the series!

While I was a bit hesitant with the pacing at first, this turned out to be such a captivating read! The large cast of characters is delightful and the secrets, mysteries, and big reveals are done in such a natural and authentic way while still creating a big emotional reaction. I loved this one!

Romantasy is a newer to me genre that I have been enjoying diving into. In The Road of Bones by Demi Winters, we dive into a new world with enemies to lovers, world building and Viking inspired. Silla is on the run and on a mission, but she cannot do it alone. But who can she trust as she is being hunted. While on her travels, she meets a crew of people whom she has to win over while protecting her secrets. There is so much that happens on her journey and I was drawn in from beginning to end and excited to read more in the series.

Happy reading

For fans of:
- A Story Spun in Scarlet
- A Fate Inked in Blood

Silla has spent her entire life on the run with her father. Never staying in one place for longer than a few years, Silla has never known what she and her father were on the fun from, but she is content in the knowledge that he would do anything and everything to protect her. Everything gets turned upside down when their pasts finally catch up to them. (Their assailants literally just show up, tell her that nothing is that she thought, and then kill her dad in like three pages haha.) Silla is left alone in the world and on the run from adversaries she does not know or understand.

This book includes:
- a gruff and broken MMC
- a FMC who is determined to be optimistic even in the most dire situations
- vampire deer
- a murderous mist
- a father with secrets
- unlikely friendship
- a horse named Horse
- multiple POV
- complex adversaries with humanizing traits
- surprising twists

I realllyyyyy enjoyed this book. Honestly, it took me a bit by surprised how much I enjoyed this read because it took me a moment to get into it. But once I was in, I was so in. Silla is a great leading lady; she is a fantastic example of a romantasy FMC that doesn't fall into the annoying "I'm strong and I'm stubborn!!!" tropes we often see in the genre. Her strengths lie in her feminine traits, not in her ability to distance herself from femininity. There is even a point in the book where her bubbly personality and sweetness save the day! Also, the romance in the book is so satisfying and the friends she makes on the road really take this book to the next level.

I recommend this book to lovers of the "stumbled upon a group of warriors and forced them to help me by being cute" trope lol.

I received this eBook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Demi Winters, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
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VIKINGS? Yes. First I would like to say this book was marketed perfectly. I was completely engaged the entire time. The world building was SO COOL and I actually couldn’t put the book down because I NEEDED to know whatever was coming next. This was a blast to read.

I really enjoyed this book and i can't wait to see where the author goes in the future with their writing.

This book delivers Viking fantasy adventure to perfection! The plot flows easily throughout the book, with just enough hints and teasing to keep you interested in finding out what happens next! The FMC is written in a way where you really root for her, and honestly it’s refreshing.
I can’t wait for the next book!

I loved this book so much I immediately purchased a copy in hardcover as soon as it was released. I cannot wait to see what’s in store for these characters! Without giving spoilers away, all I can say is it has all of my favorite tropes and there’s a reason this is rated so highly on Goodreads. Thank you to the author and publishing company for giving me the amazing opportunity to read this book.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one, just okay, I guess? I usually love a traveling trope in fantasy, but this story felt too long. The "romance" didn't work for me either, as it doesn't end in an HEA. As this is book 1 in a series, I can overlook this as this may be part of the storytelling.

The main thing about this book that bothered me was the underlying domestic abuse. It made the story feel off. I don't think this was listed as a content warning, so be prepared.

Additionally, I enjoyed the found family aspect. However, I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters. Whether this was due to the writing style just didn't work for me or something else I couldn't exactly put my finger on.

With that said, I seem to be the outlier, as a lot of my book friends seem to really enjoy this one.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Loved this book it took me on such an incredible journey everything about it was so perfect I they recommend reading it!

You had me at Vikings! I love books with Vikings/norse inspired elements. I am OBSSESED with this. The world building was excellent and had so much depth and the writing was beautiful!! But the most important part was the romance and I am OBSSESED give me more. I loved it so much.

I just want to start this review off by saying I AM ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK!!!!! Am I kicking myself for not reading this immediately after receiving it? Yes, because I could not put this down! Am I a Norse folklore/viking girlie?? It’s starting to look like it because this is the second sort of fantasy romance with Norse inspiration that I ended up falling in love with. I had such a great time reading The Road of Bones. All the action, the angst, and the twist towards the end completely caught me off guard in the best of ways. I won’t stop thinking about Silla, Saga, and The Bloodaxe Crew until I’m able to get my grubby little hands on the next book.

Delacorte and Demi Winters: I AM AT THE BARS OF MY CAGE BEGGING FOR AN eARC APPROVAL FOR KINGDOM OF CLAW!!! PLEASE!!!! I WILL LITERALLY SELL MY SOUL (contact me for the deets, I’ll happily depart with it in exchange for a chance to read the sequel early).

Anyways…as you can probably tell, if I could give The Road of Bones a million stars, I would. 10/10, would recommend and now I’m going to make everyone I know read this.

Thank you to Delacorte, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

A lush, romantic fantasy that is thoughtfully inspired by Viking history and lore. Fans of Quicksilver, Phantasma, and A Fate Inked in Blood will love this!

Thank you again to NetGalley and Delacourte Press for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

I loved the premise of the book but unfortunately DNF’d at 49%. I had a difficult time connecting to the characters and the story didn’t captivate me. I tried to keep reading to see how the story progressed, but found that I was forcing myself to read vs enjoy the ride. This story was unfortunately not for me but I would recommend to readers that like Viking lore and found family tropes.

4.5 ⭐️

Omgosh! I just enjoyed this book sooo much! Definitely an enemies to lovers with a slow burn. There is a potential love triangle but… can’t say too much without spoiling it.

The side characters were so fun! The pronunciation guide is super helpful since this is a Vikings inspired Romantasy.

The beginning hooked me and I will say.. it did drag a bit in the middle but I actually didn’t mind it. There’s a lot of traveling in this book but that also gives us insight into the different characters. There are different POVs in third person and I did not mind that at all because it made sense to the story. There is also a side plot with a little mystery involved.

There is a slight cliff hanger and the end had me on the edge of my seat!

There are two major reveals. The one I did not see coming, though I had an inkling and there are very small and subtle clues.

The second reveal I was completely shocked! I seriously cannot wait until the next book.

Also.. I am team Rey. 🥰 the banter between him and Silla were some of my favorite parts.

Highly recommend. This story definitely has so much potential and I’m so impressed that this is Demi Winter’s debut novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early review copy(apologies so late).

Viking romantasy?! Count me in. But the pace needs to be a bit faster. I tried, I really did but I could not get into this one. I am looking forward to the audio version though.

I really enjoyed this refreshing and unique fantasy! It is an intriguing Viking tale with the perfect amount of intriguing storyline and romance! I can't wait to read word from this author!