I enjoyed the premise of this book, and the writing style. I was looking forward to seeing how the different story/timelines resolved .... but was unsatisfied by the vague ending. Is this supposed to be Book One of Two?

The world building of this novel was thorough and interesting. I loved the idea of a necromancer not being an evil, or with a negative connotation. I loved the hearts glass (such a cool idea!), and Mykaela was my favorite character since she was a powerhouse of awesome! The plot was a little dull at times and the chapters a bit confusing between the past and present tense but this one will be on my hand sell list for sure!

Overall, I have to say that the book was pretty good. Though as you can tell from my rating, I did have some issues with it. Right away, one of the things that kinda put me off about the book was that the author dropped an information bomb. There was so much backstory that I almost felt like taking notes in case there was a quiz. I mean, there's the kingdoms, the Faceless leaders/cults, the Deathseekers, the heartsglass, the different witches--it was all sort of dropped throughout the first chapter or so instead of being spaced out throughout the book. I honestly had to shut a lot of it out because there was no way I was going to remember every location/focus of every kingdom. Something that helped this out a bit was that it was pretty much covered again here and there throughout the story, so it wasn't like you were expected to know it by heart.

One of the strong points in the story was probably the bond between Tea and her brother, Fox. This was something that I thoroughly enjoyed because it was protective, genuine, and rooted in love. It was just something nice to have throughout the story. I enjoy sibling bonding in a story. He was really her anchor throughout the book, and was the only one not really concerned about her being a bone witch. He wanted to stay with her for as long as she wanted him around and ugh, that loyalty was just adorable.

Sadly, I can't really say that there were too many other strong bonds like that in the book. I would count Tea and Polaire, Mykaela, Parmina, and maybe Likh. But besides them, I didn't feel like I got to know any other characters very well. Most of them were encountered in passing (especially where other asha were concerned). But I still really enjoyed the characters that I did get to know.

I liked the style of the book, although it confused me at first. I didn't understand right away that the two speakers (past and present/future) were both Tea. That definitely could've been made clearer, but aside from that it was good. I liked it in the sense that it gave me a glimpse into who she'd become, what had happened to her, and that made me curious. It made me wonder what happened that made her change from the young girl to this now full-blown and exiled asha. It also gave it an overall storyteller quality/tone that made it feel more like hearing a bedtime story. I liked that.

I didn't really understand her infatuation with the prince. It was like some random romance just kinda stuck in there. They didn't interact nearly enough to make any real connections that would make me think of them as romantic interests. It was just really, really in the background and just not a part of the story for me. And then towards the end of the book it kinda hints at a love triangle that I never saw evidence of in the book.

As for the ending: it wasn't as strong as I had hoped. I could tell that it wasn't going to end at a good point because of how many questions I still had when I was reaching the last chapters but still. I was so confused about the romance (the man she "loved" was not who I was expecting based on everything in the book), I wanted to know why the exiled her (it didn't really say), and what she planned to do (it kinda hinted, and that was alright as it would be a good allusion to the next book). These were some basic questions that I really wanted answered, that I think really should have been but weren't.

Overall, a good story but the execution could have been better. I would still tell people to give it a chance and I'm still interested enough in the story that I would be willing to pick up the next book. I just hope it's better put together.

I'm no stranger to Fantasy, but until recently there has been a glut of Euro-centric style fantasy and Gary Gygax inspired adventures. Only now am I starting to dive into Fantasy based on other cultural traditions, and I have to say I'm so happy we live in the future!

The Bone Witch is different, beautiful, and a huge shift from fireball throwing wizards and spellsong sorceresses. Tea, the main character, is something akin to a Geisha. The sorceresses here aren't battling hordes of misshapen monsters or sending heroes off on quests, and if this is what you are looking for you will be sorely dissapointed. Instead, they use their skill with magic alongside music and dance to become entertainment, confidants to the powerful, and the centers of polite society.

YA reviewers have this problem with wanting to label every main character that stands out as different as a "special snowflake" which is a flat and unskilled interpretation. In opposition to everyman characters a lot of these isolated and demonized characters aren't special, just different. Yes, the main character here has a rare magic, but it is a magic that carries incredible stigma and in many places hatred. She has few friends, and doesn't fit in well with others of her kind. Is she special? Maybe. Is she some kind of savior? I think the entire book is built to show otherwise, that instead she may be a villain instead of even an anti-hero. I guess we will find out.

I liked it, despite the slow pace, because it was pretty and interesting and leveraged some pretty different characters without stereotyping them. All in all, a good job. Thank you for the opportunity, Ms. Chupeco!


This book was provided to me via NetGalley free of charge. This has no influence on my review, especially as free is the same cost as using the library!

I have mixed feelings about this book, actually. On one hand, I really loved the characters and it was really original and unique, both the plot and the change between present time and Tea’s past. On the other hand, the plot was pretty slow, which made it difficult to get into it.

I love Tea.

In the beginning, she made some pretty immature things, but I can forgive that, since she really was just a child. But otherwise, I think she dealt with everything pretty well, considering everything she went through. She had to leave her family when she was just a child, had to go to a place where a lot of people treated her badly and few people were actually nice to her. But you could really tell that she grew up, she learned to take care of herself and she changed a lot. I thought it was really interesting to read about her.

I loved the rest of the characters, too.

There were a lot of good characters in this book. I loved Mykaela, she was just so nice and sweet to Tea, and it hurt my heart to read about how she was affected by the raising and killing of the daeva. Kance was also a good character, I loved seeing how his and Tea’s relationship slowly evolved through her childhood. Althy was also a really sweet character, but also pretty badass, and I liked that. But my favorite might be Polaire. I didn’t get the best impression of her at first, but it didn’t take long until I really loved her. She’s fierce and protective, but she can also be almost sweet. I loved it.

The plot was pretty slow, I felt it was focused a bit too much on Asha politics and life in Ankyo, and with the shifting between present and past, it could get a little slow at times, and it was hard to get into it. But once things started happening, it was impossible to put it away.

The writing style was great!

The writing was not only good, but I loved the changes between present and past. It built the mystery up in a nice way, so that, even if it got slow at times, I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what happened that made Tea turn on the Asha, what could be so bad that she’d abandon all the people she’d come to love and care for in Ankyo.

The ending broke my heart!

I don’t know what to say to avoid spoiling anything, but it completely broke my heart. It ended in a cliffhanger, and I was seriously about to start crying because I don’t want to wait to read the next book! I need to know what happened that made things the way they turned out. The ending left way too many questions unanswered, but it worked well with the book, and it certainly made sure I’ll read the next book as soon as it hits the shelves.

So, while the plot was a little slow and boring, the characters and the mystery and the need to understand made up for it, and it was so worth reading. I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this book on Netgalley I was instantly drawn in by its cover. We can all agree the cover is perfect and description of the book made me want to read it instantly. I was so excited about this book, but sometimes it`s not a good thing to get too excited before actually reading it.

Bone Witch has a very interesting premise about a girl named Tea. She discovers she is a bone witch when she resurrects her deceased brother. Luckily that draws the attention of an older and wiser bone witch who agrees to help her and take her to a place where she can harness her powers.
There are many positives to this novel. The world building is very thorough, the heart glasses having different meanings, the writing is very smooth. I also really enjoyed how we read about young Tea and older Tea. The thing I didn`t like about the book that unfortunately overshadows the good for me is that I found it immensely boring. This style of writing is very descriptive and flowery. It isn`t a good fit for me, I wasn`t able to keep focused on it and would find myself drifting a lot and would have to force my attention back on the words. I am sad to say that I wasn`t able to finish this book. I hate leaving books unfinished, but I couldn`t get through this one. I don`t remember exactly how far I got and it is hard for me to recall things that happened in the book.

I would say if you read the description and you really want to read this book you should get it from the library. Some people really enjoy descriptive writing and they would enjoy this book. I really wanted to like this book so I am wanting to reread it once it is published.

I found the book very interesting. The format of the book was intriguing when it went back and forth between the present and the past where Tea first started in training to became an asha to her being exiled. The style that Chupeco used was different with the present being italicized and the beginning of the story in normal print. At times it was confusing to keep up with the events that were going on. The whole dark asha aspect was fascinating to keep my interest and compelled me to continue reading. Chupeco does a wonderful job in describing the dress that each asha wears in great detail that can easily be visualized.

The Bone Witch brings you into the breathtaking world of the Asha.
Tea's young life takes a startling change when she inadvertently raises her brother Fox from the dead. She is feared by her towns people until known bone witch Lady Mykaela. What follows is an invigorating fantasy coming of age story. Beautifully written.

I had very mixed feelings about The Bone Witch. The opening was extremely slow and I almost gave up. The story was confusing at time and the pacing was off. It finally picked up a third of the way into the book.

Rin Chupeco does a great job with the world building, and there is potential to the series. The novel is told in two timelines, but there is a disconnect between the two narrations. There is such a change in the personality and behavior of Tea between the two timelines, they are like two different people. I understand the future novels will delve into the circumstances that led to her change, but there is not an inkling as to the huge transformation.

Tea mentions the two boys she falls in love with early in the book but there is no romance whatsoever. Tea talks to the prince and that is it. I am still at a loss as to how she ended up with the cousin.

Despite the problems, I enjoyed the book, and I would continue reading the series.

I was so excited to get an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley! I love Rin Chupeco's writing and was ecstatic to read her new book.
This book was absolutely fascinating. Tea lives in a world where magic is part of their everyday lives. Her sisters all have magical talents and everyone wears their heart on a necklace instead of their sleeve. Each person's heartglass displays their physical and emotional state. If you have a lot of magic within you, your heartglass turns silver and you train to become an asha.
Young Tea is devastated when she hears that her brother has been killed. In her heartbreaking reaction to the news she accidentally raises him from the dead! Tea now knows exactly what kind of witch she will be...a bone witch...a necromancer.
Bone witches are feared throughout the lands and Tea must learn to accept herself and her powers if she is ever going to learn to control them. If she can't learn to control her powers, the whole world is doomed.
I love that this book alternates between two different timelines in the plot. Chupeco gives you just enough to keep begging for more and makes the book impossible to put down. The ending of the book is such a crazy twist!!! I NEED MORE ANSWERS!!! Needless to say, I will be hoping and waiting for a sequel to this one!

Beautifully rich world-building. A solid entry into the YA fantasy genre that deftly approaches the trapping of love interest triangles and coming of age tropes by developing a cast of characters diverse in age and gender. Anticlimactic ending and villian reveal but Chupeco seems to purposefully pursue the slow burn for the larger battles ahead in subsequent books in the series.

I was very excited to be able to read this book. It was originally going to be read and reviewed by my 14 year old daughter however, she passed away very suddenly right before the book was released to me. I decided to read it anyway, hoping that it would provide some comfort. At the very beginning, when Tea was having to face the death of her brother, I almost put it down. I'm very glad that I didn't. The main character, Tea, is well developed and continues to develop depth as the book goes on. She is intelligent though naïve but starts to come into her own. The book is split like one would be with two different people telling the story but in this case, the two different points of view are from Tea. Past and present as she retells her story to a stranger that comes upon her in her present situation; surrounded by bones of dead creatures, stones, elixirs, and a grave that she tenderly takes care of. The stranger continues to be intrigued, albeit slightly alarmed, as the Tea's story unfolds. It definitely draws you in, has beautiful imagery and leaves you wanting to know what is going to happen next. The Bone Witch does provide some helpful pronunciations, maps, and information about each land. I truly enjoyed this book. Even though it took me almost 3 months to start and finish it, it provided me with just enough of an escape to let me mind drift off to other things besides my own personal tragedy.

The Bone Witch follows Tea, a young girl who discovers she can raise the dead after accidentally raising her brother from his grave. Her powers mean she's a bone witch, an Asha capable of necromancy, and is soon whisked away by a trained bone witch to receive guidance and training.
In her new home, surrounded by Asha and Asha-in-training, Tea learns that to be an Asha, one must stick to traditions and social norms. But as dark forces pull in every which way, Tea is determined to carve her own path.

I had a slow and bumpy start with The Bone Witch, but I'm glad I stuck it out.

The Bone Witch has a slow exposition and steady world-building, which is necessary (and much appreciated) because we're introduced to a whole new world with it's own histories, customs, and cast of characters.

Tea herself is headstrong and snappy, like a little sister I'd want to pinch when she says a little too much.

What I loved was the diversity of the world itself. In Tea's new home, where Asha train and live, there are women from all over the world living together, making it possible for Tea (and the reader) to learn and interact with people from different backgrounds and different countries.

Not necessarily a direct mirror of the real world, but Chupeco makes it seem totally possible to include diversity in high fantasy.

The world of the Asha is spell-binding and beautiful. Reminiscent of the traditional ways of Geisha, Tea and fellow Asha use fashion and skills to entertain, but also get their jobs done, in the case for Tea, that's keeping dark beings away.

I loved the duality when it comes to the livelihoods of Asha - women literally dressed to kill.

A story, within a story - the presentation of the narrative is unique and leaves the reader wondering why Tea is the way she is. Although, I did feel as if there needed to be a stronger conflict within the narrative itself.

The Bone Witch is a high fantasy with dark imagery and lyrical descriptions. Chupeco has created a bewitching world filled with history, it's own idiosyncrasies, and secrets. And what a cliff-hanger!

A truly original fantasy. The Bone Witch was a pleasure to read. It was refreshing to see a heroine driven by the connection to her brother instead of the typical YA love triangle. While Chupeco's world building was superb, I found the storyline of the alternate point of view to be most intriguing. Overall The Bone Witch was a great read and I really loved the cover.

5/5 stars

A huge thanks goes to Rin Chupeco and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to submit this unbiased opinion.

A story collecter has a dream and chases down an asha, an exiled bone witch with her own tale to tell, even at the age of seventeen.

The story she tells begins with her girlhood while she was known as Tea in her large family, who brings her older brother, Fox, back from the dead. This is how it's discovered she is a dark asha. Word of her feat reaches Lady Mylaeka, a renowned asha, who takes Tea and Fox to her haven in Ankyo for proper training. Tea and Mykaela travel from principality to principality curing the ill and wounded and celebrating the equinox. Slowly they make their way to the Willows, the village of the asha.

The book flips between past perspective of Tea's training and education, and the present, which winds through the explanations of the daeva and their bezoars. Daeva are murderous, destructive beasts, more devastating than a simple wild animal. The bezoar, hidden in the monsters' midsections and carved out, are sought for their rejuvenating powers. The most malevolent is the azi, a great dragon.

Life in the village sounds as if it took inspiration from the great geisha. Their gowns, tea houses, training and talents bear a strong likeness. Gentlemen are entertained. There are apprenticeships. Although it may sound unoriginal, the mutations to the links between are unlike anything I've ever read. Warrior geisha

The most endearing character in the book is Likh, an assistant in a jewelry shop. His strong perception of self will speak to thousands of YA readers. He doesn't spend much time on the story, but he is very important.

The best help I had in understanding this book was the following clarifications of asha: " most are well-versed in elemental magic; there are asha who further their careers in the arts and become wives; asha known for their expertise in battle; asha skilled in politics; and the dark asha who raise and banish the daeva." But what is Tea? Is she an amalgamation? Is she an aberration? There is also a beautiful dance sequence telling the myth of the first dark asha-melancholic and lovely.

As we reach the end of the story climax builds upon climax luring the reader to a dastardly plan as well as the next stage of Tea's strategy. The ending definitely left me wanting to read book two in the series.

Kudos to you, Chupeco! What an exciting beginning!

***DNF-ed at 50%***

This story had so much potential. So. MUCH. It literally begins with Tea (a witch who can raise the dead) resurrecting her beloved brother from the grave at his funeral. AT. HIS. FUNERAL. You can imagine how hyped I was about this book. I should have known better and say that because even though Tea has just done this amazing, wondrous, horrific thing, it is highly glossed over in the text. I wanted this description of what their parents and siblings thought, more of what the villagers thought (we only get a brief sense that they were scared and holding torches outside of the house). It's not every day that a young man gets raised from the dead so you would think Chupeco would have put more detail in it.

Despite that, I thought I would still enjoy the book. I thought it would be action packed. Instead, I read a whole lot of descriptions of buildings and clothing and it took me 5 days to slog through half of this book before I finally decided to throw in the towel. It's not a bad book. Chupeco has an obvious gift but the delivery of the story is so slow and uneventful that I fell asleep several times while reading this or found my mind wandering away. I had one glimmer of hope when Tea brought back to life a bunch of dead mice but then that too was glossed over and I knew this was an uphill battle I wasn't going to win. Or end. So I wave my white flag at this book.

***I was provided a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through NetGalley***

This YA fantasy novel actually reminded me of Memoir of Geisha and The name of the wind. It sounds strange, but if you have read both novels, you'd understand.

While it's not perfect, I enjoyed this novel a lot more than recent popular YA fantasy novels. I first gave 5 stars because of it, but took one star away. The reason was that the author took too much from Memoir of Geisha.

I like the fact that the innocent and heroic girl becomes dark and vengeful. There are many mysteries and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

My Japanese review:
https://youshofanclub.com/2017/01/27/bone-witch/

Interesting book. The author created a very unique world with her words. Rich in detail and descriptions of said world may have been the downfall, though. It was just so boring. I had a lot of trouble getting through it.