e-ARC, 352 pagesRelease Date: September 24, 2019Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Read from: September 22-26, 2019Stand-aloneSource: Publisher & Netgalley (I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)TW: Animal Death (Kind of... You'll see)For fans of: Historical, Horror, Paranormal, Stand-alone, YA
Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.
The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?
Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I'm not ususally one who enjoys reading books on zombies or the undead, but this one super shocked me. I had some trepidation about this one, but I actually really enjoyed it. Definitely a shocker.
"Death is not to be feared," he said. "But nor can it be foresaken. One must be mindful."3%
Ryn and her siblings have been trying to stay under the radar in their village by doing the family business, grave digging. But, unfortunately for them, the dead doesn't always stay dead. The corpses are called "bone houses" coming from an old legend. Then Ellis comes to the village with no real information on him or his family. Suddenly the bone houses have become restless and are coming out in drives. Ellis and Ryn have to work together to face the truth about the curse.
"The living had a tendency to make promises they could not keep."15%
The best thing about this was the writing style. The readability of this was so very easy. I found myself able to sit down and get lost in it. I read about 20% everyday. Normally I don't get even close to that. It was a quick, easy read and after all the bricks that came out this month, I was happy for this one.
"...there's worse things to be than loyal and stubborn."48%
As for the plot, at some points I did feel like not much was happening, but that was when Lloyd-Jones dropped in a bone house fight which worked really well. And the plot twist at the end.... I remember being worried because I was at 90% and I still had so many questions. But the twist is there and I never saw it coming. And that's why I liked it so much.
"If you make a jest about hands or "handling: that, said Ryn, "I will shove you down a mine shaft."57%
As for the characters, I really liked them. Well, I really liked Ellis for some reason. And I'm glad the author decided to make this a dual POV story because we got to see inside their heads. And as the story went on, this definitely made this work in the reader's favor lol
"I'll never be a soldier, or a smith, or [...] And if you think of pitying me - do not. For the most part, I truly enjoy my life. But there are limitations."63%
This was different from everything I usually read, and as it turns out, this was what I liked best about it. This was a surprise and now I want to try whatever else she's written. I hope everyone enjoys this as well.
Overall, I give this
