The Bone Witch

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Bone Witch

Tea always dreamed of becoming an asha, a powerful elemental magic user. But when she discovers the dark runes by resurrecting her brother, the elements are blocked from ever reaching her. Instead, she must learn how to wield the dark, but never give in to its temptation and pull in too much power. It is a delicate balance she must achieve, and she's only just learning how powerful she may become. Temptation is around every corner, and something dark is lurking in the shadows. The Faceless are an ever present threat, and they may just take an interest in Tea.

The Bone Witch is a chilling coming of age tale filled with death and magic. As Tea struggles to navigate the new world she has fallen into, readers will find themselves faced with prejudice and discrimination. Tea can be a powerful and necessary asset to the empire. But bone witches are looked down on and sometimes only seen as tools in the war against the faceless and the creatures they control.

There are so many layers to this world Rin Chupeco introduces readers to in The Bone Witch. This first book is only the tip of an iceberg as Tea learns about the traditions of the asha, and what it takes to become one. The story unfolds as told by an older more experienced Tea. The cool and calculating girl that tells her story is vastly different from the one reader's experience. I want to know more about Tea's story and how she becomes the woman she is in the present.

Faced with the truth of a bone witch's fate, Tea sets forth to break traditions and carve her own path. However, it is not going to be easy and the reader quickly learns what happens to those who break from tradition. The Bone Witch is the perfect tale for readers who are looking for a darker young adult story.