Holly J. Underhill

I must preface by saying I would have liked this story to be longer. Novellas tend to suffer from a lack of world-building and character-development due to their truncated length (The Bone Way was a mere 162 pages long), a fate which this book suffered from, to an extent. However, it was redeemed by the interesting story. In it, we follow Teagan as she sought to rescue her wife, Cressidae, from the Shadow Realm. I read it in an afternoon and definitely enjoyed it, but not as much as I had hoped I would.

It is touted as a f/f Orpheus/Eurydice retelling, and if that sounds like your jam, definitely give it a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nyx Publishing for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.… (altro)

Holly J. Underhill had a massive undertaking when she decided to write The Bone Way. The Orpheus and Eurydice tale has been told six different ways to Sunday and finding a new take on the classic love tragedy is not easy. However, Underhill took that challenge and ran with it.

When Teagan wakes up to her wife and her dagger missing, she knows exactly where Cressidae (Cress) has gone, The Shadow Realm. Cress is on a mission to bargain with the Shadow Princess, the ruler of the Realm, for Teagan's life, to save Teagan from the poison that is slowly killing her. Teagan follows Cress to make sure that they both can return to the mortal realm.

A few reasons that I loved this book;
The overall aesthetic: The book has an overall vibe that reminds me of the game Virtual Cottage but with more adventure.
The fact that it's an O&E retelling, but with witches: This adds an extra level of intrigue to the fairly well-known story.
(Obviously) The witchcraft: The two main characters are practicing witches and it is really lovely to watch how they use their craft to survive.
Teagan and Cress's relationship: It is clear that the two would do anything for each other, and their journey through the Shadow Realm proves it.
The fact that Teagan and Cress have cats: No explanation. This is just so cute and wholesome. As I mentioned earlier, lots of elements of this book have the same feeling as Virtual Cottage.
The Shadow Princess: This character is just so incredible. I would love to see another story with an in-depth background for her.

I definitely think that this is worth a read. Despite its length, it is full of magic, adventure, and love.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5 (rounded up to 4)

The Bone Way will be available for purchase starting June 26th. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available for purchase. Also, be sure to check out Holly J. Underhill's website!

I was lucky enough to be able to read this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.… (altro)