Title: Crown of Bones
Author: A.K. Wilder
Series: Crown of Bones (Book 1)
Page Length: 400
Publication Date: Jan. 5, 2021
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Synopsis: In a world on the brink of the next Great Dying, no amount of training can prepare us for what is to come…
A young heir will raise the most powerful phantom in all of Baiseen.
A dangerous High Savant will do anything to control the nine realms.
A mysterious and deadly Mar race will steal children into the sea.
And a handsome guide with far too many secrets will make me fall in love.
My name is Ash. A lowly scribe meant to observe and record. And yet I think I’m destined to save us all.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
My Review:
A young adult fantasy with a dangerous quest and themes of friendship, self-discovery, and fighting for what you believe in, Crown of Bones is a unique and interesting story set in a world on the brink of war, and threats lurk around every corner.
Marcus is the heir to the throne and a Savant who has raised his Phantom. However, he struggles to control it. Ash is a non-Savant but an equally fascinating character. Strong, determined, and brave, she is one of my favorite characters in the story. Her relationship with Marcus is wonderful. They have a strong and long-lasting friendship that proves unshakable.
There are multiple points of view in the novel, which I liked. You really got to understand Ash and Marcus, as well as some of the other characters in the story. One mysterious character with a secretive past is rather intriguing, and I’m curious to find out more about him and his connection to Ash in the next book. I also want to learn more about Ash. She has some major revelations in the story, and it will be interesting to see how that changes her path and her beliefs about herself.
As much as I like Ash and Marcus, the strength of the story is the world-building. The magic system, where people can raise and control Phantoms, is so unique and fascinating. The author did a great job of creating a vivid and immersive world rife with danger and amazing fantastical elements.
Overall, this is a good start to a new series, and though I wish some of the minor characters were a bit more developed, the world-building, action, and great cliffhanger ending definitely make me want to continue with the series. Thanks so much to Netgalley, Entangled Publishing, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The world-building and fantastical elements. This is one of the strengths of the novel.
- The characters, especially Asha nd Marcus.
Recommendations:
I think Crown of Bones will appeal to readers that like YA fantasy with unique worlds and magic.
That sounds like a good read!!!
I enjoyed it! 🙂
I’ll definitely be curious to see how you feel about the second book. This one sounds like it had some strong points and some weak ones, but the mysterious character sounds promising for the second book. Great review!
Thanks so much, Ali! 🙂
This sounds like such a good book and I love fantasy worlds that have been built well!
The world-building is really cool in this one!