If you like "A Fate Inked in Blood" you will like this story. Love a story with strong female characters. It was hard to put down because I really wanted to know what would happen next. Can't wait for the next in the series.

The Road of Bones" offers an intriguing fantasy world with some unexpected twists, but it's not without its challenges. Most of the book is excruciatingly slow, to the point where I nearly gave up. However, perseverance pays off as the story picks up significantly in the latter half.

The world-building is interesting, though there are noticeable gaps - whether due to actual omissions or my own tendency to skim during slower sections is hard to say. The sexual tension is well-crafted and adds a layer of intrigue to the character dynamics.

While the protagonist's personal storyline didn't particularly captivate me, the found family aspect and some of the supporting characters were more engaging. The last 20% of the book is what had me changing it from a potential 2 or 3-star read to a solid 4 stars.

I'm not super eager to read the second one, but won't actively NOT read it.

This was offered to me as a widget by the publisher on NetGalley. I was drawn to the description... then realized it was a romantasy. I groaned, but carried on... and color me shocked: I enjoyed this. A lot.

True, it was a romantasy - and my first I enjoyed - there was a lot more going on. You have a girl who has powers, is seeing a girl she may or may not be conjuring, and is thrust into being on the run after the death of her father. In a world where people have various powers and can be executed for them, Left with a name and city of who she can turn to, this is the path she must take for answers. While on the Road of Bones -where all sorts of dangerous creatures may show up - she encounters a group of dangerous warriors. Lead by Rey, this group reluctantly takes her in and the story begins to gallop to the finish.

I liked the group. I liked that they all had well built personalities, stories, and reasons for being in the group. Jonas and his brother are strong focus in the group (and since Jonas becomes her love interest, there are pov chapters from him). Jonas seemed to have an interesting story brewing and the things that happen at the end of the book have me needing to jump into the next as soon as I can.

The reason I mark it down a star is because the world building / powers / monarchy bit is underdeveloped and the threat doesn't come across as strong as it should. We know the queen is after her, but we need more of a reason because of her powers.... why is the queen evil, besides hating people with powers like her. What exactly are the powers? Why do some have it?

There is to be five books, and I am hoping my issues become resolved / explored.

This book was interesting! I thought it was a really enjoyable fantasy romance! Most of the novel takes place on the go due to our heroine being on the run for reasons she herself is blind to. The vigilante vikings were great and I loved the idea that there was an assassin coming after her. This book reminded me a lot of another authors writing style pf mystery with a lot of secrets around the heroine/vikings, which was so exciting to see slowly be pulled apart near the end of the book. I liked the romance, I wish there was more focus on this angst with some banter but super intrigued to see where that goes in the next book! And the ending!? That sold me on continuing the series and I can't wait to get to book two!

This book really grew on me. I found that the first ~1/3 was a little hard to get through and the formatting was slightly confusing with the 4 different perspectives, but once the plot picked up and I became familiar with the characters I enjoyed it much more. There were a lot of exciting twists that I was not expecting and I felt the back 3rd of the book had a lot more character development that really made it enjoyable for me. The premise of the book is different than a lot of others that I have read recently and I thought the world building was very well thought out. Really hoping there is a sequel! I will be looking out for other books by Demi Winters in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed my journey of this read! The action packed introduction immediately hooked me. I am a huge fan of Viking lore and I felt like Demi Winters did a fantastic job infusing it into this story. The imagery of the setting, the characters down to the clothes they wore and the weapons they yielded, and the dialogue felt natural for Vikings.

The found family element was super enjoyable, the side characters having enough depth to keep me emotionally attached. Hekla and Silas still cross my mind 6 months after my first read!

I also LOVED the romance in this, constantly keeping the reader guessing who was going to be end game. The tension was scrumptious and paced at the most opportune moments. As much as I loathe one of the romantic leads, I couldn’t help but feel the attraction that led the FMC right into his stronghold.

While some of the plot lines felt obvious due to usage of familiar tropes, others were shocking enough to keep me holding out for answers to my questions. I loved how this novel ended on a cliffhanger.

Some parts dragged on and the novel could’ve probably been cut my a hundred pages and better segued into the second installment. From what I hear, this is supposed to be a 5 book series, however I have a feeling it will have been better suited in a trilogy considering how the pacing dragged a bit in this. Nonetheless, I am intrigued enough to continue in the series and gets answers to many open ended questions.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book. This book has my whole heart. I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this!

I first want to say thank you to the author and publisher for sending me an e-ARC of this book. I am very appreciative!
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I really liked the plot line of this book, it was very unique. It is a Viking inspired book with magic. I really like the magic aspect. One of my complaints though is this book is 485 pages and 400 pages of it is traveling and not much happens throughout that time. We also get the point of view of other characters, but yet don’t learn much about them. The bloodaxe crew is hired to do a job and they do not discuss this job once throughout the book. I would’ve like to hear more about the job and how they were going to handle it. Also SPOILERSSS. Jonas ends up not being a great guy and I figured that was going to happen, so it seems Rey would end up being the new love interest in book two, but the main character, Silla, and Rey have not had many moments together. Also, the big reveal at the end of the book was more confusing than crazy because it didn’t have any moments that led up to it.. but I will say the betrayal of Jonas and the ending was pretty crazy and has me curious if book two would be faster paced and explain more of the world. I also think maybe the romance could be better in the second book, I’m just scared it might be instalove. But with all that being said there were aspects of the story I did enjoy. I did like the plot line and the magic aspect and also the side characters added a lot to the story

4⭐️

I really enjoyed this Viking fantasy. The world building is rich and beautiful. The only thing is the overall story is not super unique. It's the common trope of magic being outlawed and people with magic are persecuted. However it is unique in it being in a Viking world.

My favorite part of this story was the found family element and grumpy/sunshine trope. The leader of the band is incredibly grumpy but incredibly loyal/protective. I did really enjoy his character a lot. The main FMC is a ray of sunshine. She's regularly trying to be helpful and never upset. Coining her the nickname sunshine.

The romance in this book is so so. I hated the main love interest and found him incredibly possessive and annoying.

This is definitely one of my new favorite series. I am instantly starting the second. I really love Demi Winters writing and can't wait to see what she does with this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for this advance reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

Fantasy with hot vikings. FMC with fantastic character growth. Scary bad queen.
Found family with super supportive side characters. Slowburn love with a twist in there. Magic, mystery, adventure....this was a fantastic story. The world building was a lot in the beginning but set the story up well and once it got going, I could NOT put it down. I will admit there were a few shockers in there that I did not see coming. So glad I can just into book 2. Highly recommend.

I had tried to read this once before, but as a mood reader not everything hits when you want it to. I am so glad I went back and gave it another chance because I really enjoyed this book! Ready to jump into book two!

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: “The Road of Bones” by Demi Winters

Hi, snuggle bugs! 🐌 I’ve just finished “The Road of Bones” and wow, what a thrilling ride! Rating this book a strong ✨4/5✨ for its intense blend of romance and dark adventure among Viking lands.

ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ

Silla Nordvig is a woman on the run, her life shadowed by looming threats after her father’s mysterious death. Her escape route? A perilous journey across the thousand-mile “Road of Bones”, fraught with darkness and lurking dangers. But the real twist comes when she stumbles upon the notorious Bloodaxe Crew and its enigmatic leader, Rey, the Wolf.

ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ

Rey, with his brooding persona and undeniable allure, and Silla, with her fierce determination, steal the show. Their chemistry? Absolutely hot! As I read more, I couldn’t help but root for these two to overcome the odds. Then there’s Silla's mysterious little ghost girl subplot that added a whole layer of ‘I did NOT see that coming’. I predicted she might be Silla's dead sister—and guys, I was 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 right.

And then there’s Jonas…

Oh, Jonas. Gave me major Tamlin/traitor vibes and I wasn’t here for it. Every story needs its villain, though, right?

ᴍʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs

The pacing of the story is perfect—fast enough to keep you turning the page, yet detailed enough to build a vivid world of Viking lore and treacherous paths. The blend of danger, intrigue, and romance is balanced beautifully.

I need book two like, yesterday. Need more Rey and Silla, need answers, and honestly, just need more of Winter's writing.

If you’re into tales of survival, complex characters, and rich Viking backdrops filled with mythical undertones, this is a must-read.

So, who else has read this? What did you think? And if you haven’t, are you planning to? Drop your thoughts below or hit me up in the DMs—let’s chat! 📖💬 #BookReview #TheRoadOfBreaks #Bookstagram

Amazing!
I went in to this book totally blind and it’s really an amazing story.
The Road of Bones is a Viking fantasy.
The people are ruled by a King who hates and bans the use of magic. Think Salem Witch trials. Those thought to practice or harbor “Galdra” (those with magic) are tied to a pillar and stoned.
The FMC is a young woman following her father’s dying wishes to travel to a land where she will be safe. The roads there are riddled with robbers, dangerous creatures and assassins. With no fighting experience and only a hammer as protection she sets off on her journey.
I honestly didn’t want to put this book down once I got a couple chapters in.
Character development,Plot, World Building.. brilliant!
The plot twists alone had me setting the book down to let my brain catch up!
Although this didn’t have a jaw dropping cliff hanger I thought it had the perfect ending, it didn’t feel rushed but left perfect little bread crumbs for book 2.

This is a slow burn, fantasy with touch her and die vibes.

I forgot to read the description of this book, before starting. I felt the start was slow because I was unsure what to expect. I ended up really enjoying this book. MFC has flaws and weaknesses that she works while she goes on a road trip. She doesn’t become a master of skills while on her journey, but she grows. I love that for her. The foreshadowing was good, I was caught up in the last part.

My Romantasy loving heart is so excited by the number of Indie books being picked up by traditional publishers. The Road of Bones starts off slowly, but the more I read, the more invested I became.

I was impressed by how each of the POV characters were written, with fully fleshed out backgrounds that fit their motivations and actions. It was fun to watch our main character, Silla, grow from a naive girl to a fearsome warrior. The world building was also very cleverly crafted. I could easily envision creatures like the grimwolves and vampire deer, while walking the beautiful and deadly Road of Bones.

This story is perfect for readers who love:
- Viking-Inspired Worlds
- Hidden Identities
- Found Family
- Multiple Love Interests
- Immersive High Fantasy

I cannot wait to dive into the second book to learn more about Galdran magic and the kingdom of Íseldur!

Thank you to Netgalley, Dell Romance, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is truly an EPIC fantasy. The Road of Bones is a viking-inspired fantasy book with multiple point of views, unique creatures, mysterious magic, an expansive world, and characters who you can’t help but love. I didn’t realize how attached I was to the side characters and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Long story short, every character matters in this book. Every point of view and chapter feels intentional, not just filling space but actually moving the story along. This is technically a romantasy, but I feel like the amazing plot was the main focus. Which isn’t to say the romance wasn’t amazing because it absolutely was. I was blushing so hard at some of the spicy scenes. Let’s just say the male main character has a way with words. I loved the way this had mainly a traveling/journey plot because that’s one of my favorite tropes. This series has been on my TBR forever and I’m so glad I finally got to read it as the rerelease ARC version. There’s nothing I love more than a unique fantasy world with an epic plot and amazing romance so it’s no surprise I’m giving this five stars. I’m very excited to read the next book, especially because I’ve heard the second book is even better than the first.

This was originally self-published by the author in 2023 and is now being traditionally published. I was reached out to by the publisher to read an e-arc and had no idea what to expect.

This was a pleasant surprise. Viking-inspired fantasy romance. Turns out I’m into it!

I enjoyed the concept and setting. It felt authentic and immersive. The dialogue was particularly intriguing to me and I had a good time with it. I also really enjoyed Rey — and some of the more developed Bloodaxe Crew members — and I’m eager to see more of him in the next book.

The pacing, in my opinion, was inconsistent. I was intrigued by the story in the beginning, but the middle felt like it dragged a bit. I will say, the last 30-40% of the book hooked me so I’m definitely in to continue the series with Book 2 and am hopeful it only gets better from here.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

This book is such a strong start to a romantic fantasy series. All of these characters are so perfectly written. This was my third read through of this book and I think it gets better every time I read it. Demi Winters is a genius and the way that she wrote this story with so many breadcrumbs is truly a work of art.

Silla grew up on the run with her father and her whole world falls apart around her when her and her father are attacked on the road and he father is slain, but not before his last words telling Silla that he "Loves her as if she was his own kin." Everything Silla thought she knew is wrong and she is left with a million questions and only one way to get answers, she must get to Kopa. She stashes away on a wagon that happens to belong to the Bloodaxe crew, a group of Viking mercenaries.

This book is written beautifully, paced perfectly, and has a plot and cast of characters that I will be thinking about for a long time.

Everyone should read this book.

This is my kind of book! I loved learning about Silla’s journey and meeting this group of sassy mercenaries. It also had so much action and intrigue, scheming and secrets! Basically everything I love in a good fantasy romance! I think Demi did an incredible job of building out the characters too. And keeping us on the edge of our seats! Her vivid imagery and fun banter made the book for me! I cannot wait to read Kindgom of Claw!

A great fantasy romance to get anyone out of a slump and I cannot wait to read book two!! I saw this one blowing up on tik tok a while back and knew it was only a matter of time before it got picked up. A must read for fantasy romance readers!