The Bone Houses

[MY RATING] 9.4/10
[SOME SPOILERS AHEAD IN ALMOST ALL SECTIONS]
When I read the sypnosis, I KNEW this was gonna be something that was up my alley. I am so happy that I picked up this amazing book, I loved every bit of it, and could not put it down because it was so good!

[PLOT, WRITING, WORLD-BUILDING & PACING]
[BIG SPOILERS AHEAD IN THIS SECTION]
- The worldbuilding in this novel is so well done. With how everything was described, I was able to picture the little town Ryn stays in, how the bone houses looked, how intimidating the forest could be and more, with clarity. I really enjoyed the bits of lore that was found throughout the novel as well– as a reader, it felt like a believable world to go on a journey on with protagonists. The pacing was just right, and it was accompanied by great writing to make the reading experience more enjoyable.

- It would've been nice to expand on the lore involving the other mythological creatures, eg. the pwca and tylwyth teg, and actually get to see the characters interact with these named creatures on a closer basis.

- However, I was quite confused by some parts: When Ryn was telling Ellis the story of the cauldron, I thought it was a story that dated hundreds / thousands of years ago. So it felt very strange when all of a sudden the story revealed that Ellis's mother was the woman.. I felt that this could've been explained in a clearer and more believable way.

- I felt that the romance was slightly rushed, and though yes, anyone could see Ellis and Ryn getting together, it felt as if their feelings were very sudden. It would've been nicer if there was more of a lead up / more chemistry building before they jumped into the romance stage.

[CHARACTERS]
[SMALL SPOILERS AHEAD IN THIS SECTION]
- RYN: I love Ryn! I think she's such a strong and independent character, and I really like how she's firm but also gentle towards certain things. Her seeing her father as a bone house was such a lovely moment, but also a moment where I held my breath because !!!!! a bone house is finally good! I was very excited for her.

- ELLIS: I think Ellis is such a great ‘balancer' to Ryn's more outspoken personality. I like how he worked with maps and trusted Ryn all the way! He's smart, emotional and selfless, and I really enjoyed reading about his character in the book.

- THE GOAT: I loved the goat. It was one of the best additions to the novel, and it was so funny and endearing to see its loyalty even after it died! It was such a sweet goat, and it made the novel 2x better with the goat following their journey and fighting the bone houses with them!
May you rest in peace <3

[OVERALL + ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS]
- Overall, if you're thinking of picking up this gem of a book, DO IT. You will smile, laugh, be anxious but also excited when reading the novel. It is a beautiful work of writing, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a standalone adventure romance (ish) folklore-themed story to read!