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callistag1's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Chronic illness, Classism, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Animal death
Minor: Child abuse
luckylulureads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Medical content, Death, Grief, Body horror, and Blood
lizgriffinwords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Rich with Welsh folklore, The Bone Houses has lovable characters with fierce hearts, demisexual rep and chronic pain rep, and a mystery that unfolds like a beautiful tapestry. Now I’m desperate to read all of Lloyd-Jones’s backlist. Highly recommend the audiobook, read by Moira Quirk (aka Gideon the Ninth narrator).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Chronic illness
beholderess's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child death
chronicacademia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I adore this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Animal death, Body horror, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Child death, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
When I began reading this book, a friend of mine told me that it was a "cozy love letter to zombies." I had absolutely no idea what that could possibly mean. Now that I've read it, I understand entirely and completely agree! A cozy love letter to zombies is exactly what The Bone Houses is.
Let me start out by saying that I absolutely abhor horror. Not only that, but zombies are my least favorite horror-related element. I was nervous going into this one, assuming that it would totally freak me out. I've certainly had other "horror fantasies" that bothered me within the first two chapters, so much that I DNF'd them. This book is not scary at all. Like truly, I've read just "regular" fantasies that are freakier. This one is more... subtly spooky? Quietly eerie? Cozy creepy? Yeah, I'm gonna go with it being cozy creepy.
From the get-go, you can't help but love the characters. They're sweet, a little quirky, relatable in multiple ways, and very easy to root for. There's even a bit of comic relief between Ceri and Goat (who, let's be honest, is the actual hero of this story - IYKYK). While Ryn could easily have become the typical "I don't need saving" kind of protagonist, she had her own flaws, and her tough exterior certainly had cracks. While Ellis could've been an almost too-soft cinnamon roll who certainly did need saving, he actually had quite a bit of strength to him that was brought out when it was needed the very most. They made an excellent duo and their chemistry was excellent.
*Side note about Ellis: the chronic pain representation was phenomenal. It made me tear up multiple times. While I don't personally experience chronic pain, I do have a chronic illness and related to so many of the sentiments he had throughout the story. It was wonderfully written.
I found myself highlighting quote after quote as I was reading, completely in love with the story and the way it made me feel. You can imagine my disappointment (with myself) when I accidentally returned it to the Libby library before saving the quotes elsewhere. I guess this just gives me all the more reason to purchase my own copy, read it again, and actually write down the quotes this time!
Honestly, the moment I put it down, I wanted to pick it back up again. It gave me the perfect cozy horror (excuse me: cozy creepy) of Shea Ernshaw, with the atmospheric writing of Rachel Griffin. AKA it was an excellent book and I can't wait to read everything else that Emily writes!
Let me start out by saying that I absolutely abhor horror. Not only that, but zombies are my least favorite horror-related element. I was nervous going into this one, assuming that it would totally freak me out. I've certainly had other "horror fantasies" that bothered me within the first two chapters, so much that I DNF'd them. This book is not scary at all. Like truly, I've read just "regular" fantasies that are freakier. This one is more... subtly spooky? Quietly eerie? Cozy creepy? Yeah, I'm gonna go with it being cozy creepy.
From the get-go, you can't help but love the characters. They're sweet, a little quirky, relatable in multiple ways, and very easy to root for. There's even a bit of comic relief between Ceri and Goat (who, let's be honest, is the actual hero of this story - IYKYK). While Ryn could easily have become the typical "I don't need saving" kind of protagonist, she had her own flaws, and her tough exterior certainly had cracks. While Ellis could've been an almost too-soft cinnamon roll who certainly did need saving, he actually had quite a bit of strength to him that was brought out when it was needed the very most. They made an excellent duo and their chemistry was excellent.
*Side note about Ellis: the chronic pain representation was phenomenal. It made me tear up multiple times. While I don't personally experience chronic pain, I do have a chronic illness and related to so many of the sentiments he had throughout the story. It was wonderfully written.
I found myself highlighting quote after quote as I was reading, completely in love with the story and the way it made me feel. You can imagine my disappointment (with myself) when I accidentally returned it to the Libby library before saving the quotes elsewhere. I guess this just gives me all the more reason to purchase my own copy, read it again, and actually write down the quotes this time!
Honestly, the moment I put it down, I wanted to pick it back up again. It gave me the perfect cozy horror (excuse me: cozy creepy) of Shea Ernshaw, with the atmospheric writing of Rachel Griffin. AKA it was an excellent book and I can't wait to read everything else that Emily writes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, and Chronic illness
onemamareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-bone-houses
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Violence, Grief, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death
egurgens's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is such a wonderful mix of historical fiction and some slight horror. Main character Ryn learns how to navigate the dangerous forest from her father, and takes up his occupation of grave digging when he disappears. When she saves the odd, not-quite-a-noble Ellis, she gains a companion in her adventures with the local Bonehouses, which are beginning to venture out of the forest more and more often. While Ellis looks for his long-lost parents, Ryn looks for the cure to the curse of the Bonehouses (kinda like zombies), so the dead may finally rest and stop attacking wayward travelers.
Over the course of their journey, Ryn and Ellis face a strange village with strange practices, wayward Bonehouses, a lake monster, and they discover some feelings between the two of them. Ryn's unwavering strength and stubbornness appeal to Ellis, while his open heart and friendliness pull Ryn in. They both save each others life several times, which only pulls the two closer together.
A beautiful book of strength, determination to do what is right, and loss all mixed together to create a masterpiece. Features a badass gravedigger, a mapmaker with innate strength and chronic pain, and a stubborn, mostly dead goat.
Over the course of their journey, Ryn and Ellis face a strange village with strange practices, wayward Bonehouses, a lake monster, and they discover some feelings between the two of them. Ryn's unwavering strength and stubbornness appeal to Ellis, while his open heart and friendliness pull Ryn in. They both save each others life several times, which only pulls the two closer together.
A beautiful book of strength, determination to do what is right, and loss all mixed together to create a masterpiece. Features a badass gravedigger, a mapmaker with innate strength and chronic pain, and a stubborn, mostly dead goat.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Murder, and Terminal illness
emmreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Animal death
madamepincers's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Gore
Minor: Vomit