I tried so hard with this book but it was dreadfully slow and it just wasn't what I expected. I really liked the character but the slow pace just wasn't working for me.

The Bone Witch has a gorgeous cover and a unique and interesting premise, but sadly does not live up to expectations. The world-building is confusing, the pace slow, and the timeline shifts between past and present in between every single chapter makes for a frustrating read. Add that to the fact that pretty much nothing happens in the whole book, this novel becomes a disappointment.

Rin Chupeco does set up a good and interesting introduction to her story: the prologue and the first chapter are engaging, hooking us right from the start. Her writing is very easy to follow, despite her love for describing what everyone is wearing in detail. Unfortunately, the excitement — and plot — ends after the first couple of chapters. Instead we are left with a novel that drags us along the main character’s daily life, turning this into a very boring reading experience.


The most disappointing thing about The Bone Witch is that it has a very promising beginning. It’s mysterious and engaging, and the first chapter is a great set up to what could have been an amazing story. The relationship between the main character, Tea, and her brother, Fox, has a lot of potential and is very interesting at times. But then the shifts in timeline come in.

All of the numbered chapters are about Tea, from ages 12-15 as she finds out about her gift and trains to be a bone witch. And in between every single one of those chapters there is a passage from Tea, as a 17 year old, as she talks to a Bard. She’s telling her own story, which most of the time involves her commenting on what just happened, or giving spoilers to what is going to happen in the next chapter. Not only does this make for a super boring read, but whenever something interesting starts happening, the timeline shifts so Tea can comment on it, and everything fizzles out.

It also doesn’t help that most characters sound the same. There is very little character development, even as we read about Tea growing up for three years. I think a great part of this might be attributed to a big chunk of the novel being mostly descriptions of clothes, rituals, and places. It leaves little space for characters to grow and develop, which hurts the story in the long run.

This also means the love triangle, which we get a warning about from Tea herself, falls flat on its face. It is extremely difficult to buy into it, since any kind of development or connection gets lost in between all of the descriptions and stories and tedious world-building.

One thing that does remain interesting throughout all of it are the heartsglass. The author has mentioned in her own GR review that “almost everyone literally wears their hearts around their necks.” That’s actually true, and the one part of the world-building that is intriguing to read about. Sadly, that has little to no impact on the actual plot.

In the end, The Bone Witch is a struggle to get through. Nothing happens, there is very little plot, the characters are underdeveloped, and the timeline shifts ruin all the excitement the story brings up.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it was almost painful to make it through. I received an ARC from Net Galley and had been excited to start a unique and creepy read about a "Bone Witch" who could raise the dead and practice dark magic, but I feel like the backstory of the world took over and I did not have enough of the witch in the story. The setting of the story felt like I was reading "Memoirs of a Geisha" and there was very little about raising the dead and magic. The book was rather long and boring and the only relief I had was a small amount of humor from Tea's brother, Fox.

I really feel like a lot of the backstory and mythology should have been set aside in a separate book (such as Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs) or separate novellas. We could have used a small portion of what we actually received as far as world history. The flash forward sections of the story felt rather forced as well and may have been better suited as a separate novella.

Fox was the only character worth reading about. Tea felt forced and seemed much older than she was supposed to be. Though I appreciate the author trying to add some sort of nod to the LGBTQ community with Likh and Rahim, their characteristics felt forced as well. And with all the backstory we were given, I don't think we were given enough on the main conflicts of the story, which were the Daeva.

There were only a few scattered moments in the book that kept my interest enough to finish it. I have to give the author credit for attempting to write a story that could have been quite unique, but I feel like she missed the mark. I honestly only finished the book so I could review it and, though I was not expecting the villain to be revealed as the villain, there were very few surprises and unique attributes to this story. I would not recommend this to anyone and will not be continuing the series.

The book took a while to get into and was a bit confusing, but super kudos for creativity. The pacing I found to be slow, sometimes tedious. I think I was expecting more action with such amazing characterizations of the good and evil characters. However, the world building is top notch. There’s no holding back on description in this book, if you can handle it. I didn’t always enjoy the flipping of perspective between the past and present, but I’m the type of reader who wants everything in the now and not the past. So, no fault of the author on this; it’s probably me. I’m not patient through long passages on what already happened and find myself skim reading, which I probably shouldn’t. But all of it was worth it for the twists at the end. I’ll be picking up the next in the series.

Thank you to Netgally for kindly providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great, great book. Weaves together magic, dark mysteries, and action ... already anxiously awaiting the sequel!

It’s taken me a while to get through this book, but now that I’m done, I find that it’s occupying all of my thoughts. I’ve been thinking of Tea, Fox, the daeva, the rest of the Asha, the Willows and the asha-ka so often, it’s only slightly discerning.

Basically, The Bone Witch is a deep, gorgeous fantasy filled with exquisite power, dark creatures and a characters that will stay with you long after they’re gone.

“The perhaps we should carve a world one day where the strength lies in who you are, rather than in what they expect you to be.”

Tea Pakhlavi used to be nobody. Until the day she raised her brother from the dead, on the day of his own funeral.

In the kingdom of Odalia, Bone Witches are ones to avoid. They can raise the dead and compel the living and are the only witches that can control the daeva, creatures made out of nightmares that want nothing but death and destruction.

Tea is taken away from her home, and her country to live with other Asha – the most powerful of witches. As a Dark Asha with immense power, Tea is quickly introduced to a world of scheming, darkness and power that is hidden under a mark of beauty, grace and perfection.

And the world will never be the same for it.

“This is my new family. This is my new identity. I will be the bone witch the kingdom fears, and I will make them pay.”

One of the things I loved the MOST about the book WAY the story was told – the first with Tea where she began as an Asha Novice, and to where she is now, an exiled bone witch with immeasurable power in the Bay Of Skulls, plotting her revenge against everyone that wronged her.

It was such an intense feeling, seeing her begin as someone who didn’t know what she was capable of to a force to be reckoned with and IT MADE ME LOVE HER ALL THE MORE. While this book was the start of her path, I CANNOT WAIT for Rin Chupeco to fill in the blanks.

Another thing I loved was the ATTENTION TO DETAIL. Whether it was politics, secondary characters, the plot or the magic, this book HAD IT ALL. There were so many characters and places and kingdoms that overwhelmed me at first but WOW did it all come together and make me fall in love.

One of the things I DISLIKED was the slow pace of the beginning, and it took FOREVER (about 30%) of the book for me to even feel like I was enjoying it.

However, the only thing that REALLY bothered me was the relationship between Prince Kance and Tea. It felt like SUCH A CLICHÉ PLOT POINT AND I WANTED TO ROLL MY EYES. Apart from a few interactions, we SUDDENLY hear that OH DAMN “Stay away from the Prince” and “You’re a danger to him.” And I a) WAS NOT FEELING IT and b) could not FATHOM the romance between then and c) WAS NOT FEELING IT.

Will I be reading the sequel? HELL YES.

Will I be hoping to see more Dark Magic? UHM YES.

A deeply woven, must-read fantasy book for all lovers of the genre (and an anti-hero.) 4 stars.

Surprisingly dark YA novel that holds the readers attention. While I enjoyed the story and the world the author created, more clarification would have been helpful. In particular, I would have liked to learn more about the heartglasses.

A smart YA novel with impressive world-building that kept me reading way past my bedtime. When we meet her, Tea is only 17, but she is already exiled and has lived a lifetime full of heartbreak and adventure. She tells her story to a Bard, beginning when she accidentally brought her brother back from the dead, and through her training as an asha. This part of the book reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha, even if ashas are witches and, in the words of a character "not courtesans." They entertain their guests by dancing and singing, but they can also draw runes to produce spells. Tea is one of the last bone witches. The mythology was a little convoluted (my only complaint about this excellent novel), but I was really invested in the characters. There are several twists, one of which I didn't see coming. From the story set in the present you know that something catastrophic happened and someone died, but you won't get all the answers at the end of this volume. I am counting the seconds until the sequel.

I read this book in one sitting and I really enjoyed the characters. It was so easy to contact with Kellen and Lana. My only complaint it that it was to short and I hope the next book can answer all the questions I have.

While I liked the concept of THE GIRL IN THE WELL by Rin Chupeco, I wasn't as excited by how it was executed. It definitely felt less like a horror novel, and more like a dark fantasy. So when I saw that Chupeco had written THE BONE WITCH, which is pretty much straight up fantasy, I felt like this might be more her element, and something that I could get behind fully. I threw the dice and requested a copy of it through NetGalley, and they were kind enough to let me have an ARC of this YA fantasy novel. And while it took me a little while to get into it, once I did, I was totally and fully in.

Chupeco has carefully and intricately build a world with some very interesting and complex magical systems. There are varying hierarchies of ashas, there are male counterparts known as Deathseekers, there are multiple kingdoms and multiple houses and I am very impressed by all of it. At first it was overwhelming to take it all in, but luckily in the back of my ARC there is a list of pertinent facts about this world and how it fits together. I also really liked the asha society and the schooling and training they do. Many have described them as a kind of magical geisha-esque being that also happens to be able to fight against evil, and I think that's a very good way to describe them. I also liked seeing the conflict between the 'regular' ashas and the Dark ashas. This story is told in two different parts. There is the 'present', where a bard is visiting a grown Tea, and the flashbacks about her training. Most of the story is told in flashback, though we get some interesting hints about that flashback in the present parts, some of which has not been addressed or answered yet (this is, after all, going to be a series). Tea herself could have been a little bit more interesting, as I was far more interested in 'present day Tea' than the Tea that we spend most of our time with. She borders into 'Chosen One' territory, with powers she never knew she had and advanced skills that seem to be a bit hard to swallow from a reader's perspective. But, that said, there's lots of room for her to grow. Her relationship with Fox is probably the most interesting bond that she has, though there are hints of a love triangle in the future (and we may know how it turns out already? We'll see), which is kind of frustrating. I also liked her mentor, Mykaela, a fellow Bone Witch who has been fading due to failing health and the loss of her Heartstone (okay, Heartstones: every person in this world wears a stone around their neck that pretty much holds their life essence. It shows others how you are feeling, though only a few can interpret such things. It's long and complex, but trust me, it's super interesting). So as of now, the surrounding characters are really selling it for me. Be warned, this book is very detail heavy and can be bogged down by it at times. But once you get to the action that furthers the plot, I think it's well worth it.

THE BONE WITCH has opened a very interesting world that I quite enjoyed, and I can't wait to see what Chupeco does with it next. Keep an eye out for it when it comes out in March!

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns that she is a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and not wanted by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance from a wiser bone with, who takes her and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea pulls all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching fast and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome obstacles, and make a powerful choice.

This book was written so differently from what you are used to, Tea tells her story to a bard, while she is already an exhiled asha and she is living on a beach full of skulls during present time. And then we see the past time, when Tea was getting trained to become an asha, when her powers weren't fully yet, when she lived in a community full of ashas and spellbinders. When in this community she met the people that trained her, the guys that loved and her brother. But, even when we go back and forth you never really know what caused Tea to be exhiled and you just keep on reading because the past? It's so freaking interesting, because there are things happening there that keeps you on wanting to know more about it. And the present time? Tea, appears crazy at times, doing crazy, dark magic and you wonder what the heck happened and what the heck is she planning.

The end left you speechless and wanting more, I definitely want to read the next book for sure.

4 out of 5 stars and how gorgeous is this cover?

I love this cover, it is gorgeous! It instantly caught my attention and made me want to see what this book was about, so major props to the cover designers!
Now the book itself is a very interesting concept. I like the idea of the heartglass, and how different colors mean different things. The author's voice is beautiful, very lyrical, almost like poetry. Towards the end of the book, the plot started to lose a little steam but it's nothing major. I adore the world-building in this book though. It is magnificent. Very detailed, very visual, I love it!
All in all, this is a great book and I loved reading it.

Rin Chupeco's THE BONE WITCH is a cure to the same-ole-fantasy blues I've been feeling lately. In Chupeco's world, human essence is displayed within a heartglass that shows emotion, health, and even signals ability. When young Tea's heartglass shines silver (and she raises her brother from the dead), her family and small town realize that she is destined for life outside of the village. With her brother by her side as familiar, Tea navigates training in dance, music, and martial arts to become a dark asha, but danger lurks around every corner for those she loves and herself.

I loved the world building in this book. The details were lush-- from the rich descriptions of the hua (traditional asha garments) to the food. My mouth actually watered. But world-building isn't why people read fantasy (at least not me). The plot starts a bit slow, but picks up pace as Tea runs headfirst into dangerous situations. The secondary characters were lovable, especially Tea's brother Fox and the young boy Likh. The love story wasn't compelling for me yet, but the rest of the book sings with suspense and I will absolutely pick up the next in the series.

If you liked SABRIEL, you'll like the dark elements here. If you liked MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, you'll love the training and courtly life of the asha. If you like fantasy and want to see something new, you'll probably like this book, too.

I went into this with high expectations after reading Chupeco's debut duology last year and maybe that is where I went a little wrong with this one. I expected it to grab me from the get go and not only keep my attention with a faster paced plot but be completely hard to put down with a fast moving plot as the synopsis hinted at. And sadly, that isn't quite what I got.

While I wouldn't say this wasn't a fascinating story or that it doesn't grab your attention (because it does do that), it still wasn't quite the fast paced read I was hoping it would be.

It was fun and original and I would even go so far as to say unique but for whatever reason I found myself struggling a bit with the pacing and the story itself. I think in this instance, it was a case of expecting way too much and being slightly let down because of it.

I think those that go into this expecting nothing and even for those that are being introduced to this author for the first time, will definitely enjoy this one and like it more. I think so much works for it despite the issues I had with it and I can only guess the next book will be even better.
I went into this with high expectations after reading Chupeco's debut duology last year and maybe that is where I went a little wrong with this one. I expected it to grab me from the get go and not only keep my attention with a faster paced plot but be completely hard to put down with a fast moving plot as the synopsis hinted at. And sadly, that isn't quite what I got.

While I wouldn't say this wasn't a fascinating story or that it doesn't grab your attention (because it does do that), it still wasn't quite the fast paced read I was hoping it would be.

It was fun and original and I would even go so far as to say unique but for whatever reason I found myself struggling a bit with the pacing and the story itself. I think in this instance, it was a case of expecting way too much and being slightly let down because of it.

I think those that go into this expecting nothing and even for those that are being introduced to this author for the first time, will definitely enjoy this one and like it more. I think so much works for it despite the issues I had with it and I can only guess the next book will be even better.

Tea lives in a small village with her large family: mom, dad, sisters and brother. Her brother was called upon to be a soldier in the King's army out to battle Daeva: undead demons with various nefarious powers. Poor Fox though wasn't a soldier for long when he is sent home in a box. Tea is bereft at her brother's death, there was so much more to do, so much more to say, and thus Tea raises her brother from the dead revealing herself to be not only an Asha, a much more powerful magician than anyone in her family, but a Dark Asha to boot, one of the most secretive and reviled types of Asha in the world. Luckily for Tea and Fox the Lady Mykaela was in town on her rounds (Lady Mykaela is also a Dark Asha and a killer of Daeva) when she felt the Dark Rune being drawn and she takes Tea under her wing and off to the training center for Asha in the Willows far far way.

Not all that glitters is gold you guys... I really wanted this book to be wonderful and magical and maybe a little creepy. I just loves the cover and though 'This one just has to be amazing!' But... It didn't turn out as expected actually.

For starters, I absolutely hated didn't enjoy tha fact that every chapter is being deprives of its mystery and suspense because our witch is being interviewed by a really nosy guy we don't know much about.

It took me many many chapters to get over it and even then, I started skipping those parts because I wanted to go on with the story, which wasn't much suspenseful to be honest.

I liked the premise of the story. A little girl wakes her beloved brother from the dead and has to face the stamp and social shunning she get's for being a 'bone witch'. She get's picked up by a very powerful black asha ( the politically right word to call a bone witch) and starts as an asha apprentice of sorts.

The story was entertaining and funny but sometimes I felt it was a little too obsessed with details instead of the plot.

The main characters and basically all other characters were rather flat. I could feel that there was more to some of them but there was rarely a glimpse of it in the text itself.

*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

First off I have to say that cover immediately grabbed attention. Absolutely stunning.

The Bone Witch is a beautifully written fantasy. It is told from two different perspectives during two different time periods. The main story is about our main character Tea. Were taken on a journey trough her training to become an asha and we meet many characters along the way. This is not a fast moving plot, but I did feel I was a part of the story as I read it. The sub story is told at a later time by a Bard who finds the asha on the shore. This story is not as detailed as it ties into the events of the main story. I loved the characters and the atmosphere of the novel & look forward to reading more.

[Disclaimer - I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.]

I feel like it took waaaaaaaaaaay too long to get to the conclusion of this book, and there were only a handful of pages of reward after the climax before it ended. I think I wanted this to be more than it was. Instead, it read mostly like we were following a character through her studies. The way the asha are viewed in society, the role they have and everything they are supposed to be - it was too much and too little at the same time. In reading other reviews, I'm not alone - this book was plain boring. There isn't much of a plot in this one, only every day life. Nothing happens until the end. I was bored for most of it.

The end was interesting, although again, there were only a handful of pages to enjoy before it was over. The climax probably could have happened a little earlier in the book, and we could have had a little less of the boring following-Tea-around-to-lessons parts to make up for it. Then there would have been room for more of a satisfying conclusion.

I also did not like the way the book went back and forth in perspective, from some random bard who's meeting with Tea in the future, to Tea's entire life history. It was difficult to follow at first, until I got used to it, but even at that point I felt it was annoying.

I'm giving this three stars because I'm intrigued enough to know what happens in book 2. Although if there is supposed to be a book 3, I'm not sure I'd be up for that. If book 2 drags as much as this one did, I won't stick around for the conclusion.

For those, like me, who like a little more grit and a little more danger to their fairy tales, this book is a joy. The writing is clean, the characters are engaging, and the story line is intriguing. The only thing that bothered me a little was how much the world of the asha is to geisha--I felt like it borrowed too much at times, but then, it was different enough with the magical elements that I would be okay.

It does end on a cliffhanger, which is just mean, but I am eager for the next book to come out so I know how the story goes!

I did not finish the book. I may return to it and I may pick up the final copy and hope it's better when it releases. This arc was too long for the plot.