Book Review and Giveaway: The Bones of Ruin by, Sarah Raughley

TITLE: The Bones of Ruin
AUTHOR: Sarah Raughley
PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
RELEASE DATE: September 7, 2021
GENRES: YOUNG ADULT FICTION—Historical, Fantasy
BUY LINK: https://bookshop.org/a/11727/9781534453562

As an African tightrope dancer in Victorian London, Iris is used to being strange. She is certainly a strange sight for leering British audiences always eager for the spectacle of colonial curiosity. But Iris also has a secret that even “strange” doesn’t capture…

She cannot die.

Haunted by her unnatural power and with no memories of her past, Iris is obsessed with discovering who she is. But that mission gets more complicated when she meets the dark and alluring Adam Temple, a member of a mysterious order called the Enlightenment Committee. Adam seems to know much more about her than he lets on, and he shares with her a terrifying revelation: the world is ending, and the Committee will decide who lives… and who doesn’t.

To help them choose a leader for the upcoming apocalypse, the Committee is holding the Tournament of Freaks, a macabre competition made up of vicious fighters with fantastical abilities. Adam wants Iris to be his champion, and in return, he promises her the one thing she wants most: the truth about who she really is.

If Iris wants to learn about her shadowy past, she has no choice but to fight. But the further she gets in the grisly tournament, the more she begins to remember—and the more she wonders if the truth is something best left forgotten.

goodreads

Sarah Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one. She is a huge fangirl of anything from manga to SF/F TV to Japanese Role Playing Games, but she will swear up and down that she was inspired by ~Jane Austin~ at book signings. On top of being a YA Writer, she is currently completing a PhD in English, because the sight of blood makes her queasy (which crossed Medical School off the list).

She is represented by The Bradford Literary Agency.

So far, you can also find her on Twitter, where work ethic goes to die.

goodreads

Wow. There is a lot going on in this book. You can tell from the description that this book has a lot of layers to work through. Thankfully, the plot is paced well and keeps you moving even if sometimes you aren’t quite sure what’s real and what’s not. The blend of Victorian era London and end-of-the-world fantasy is intriguing and fun.

The plot and the fantasy really carried this book. The characters are all interesting, but I would have liked to have gotten to get to know them a bit more. For whatever reason, I didn’t connect with them as much as I wanted to. But with a fast-paced plot, I think that’s more of a “me problem.”

If you love historical fiction and fantasy, you are going to enjoy The Bones of Ruin!

Up for grabs will be TWO (1) finished copies of The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley. This giveaway will be open to U.S. residents only and will run from August 29th to September 13th at 11:59 PM CST. Two winners will be chosen. To enter, click the link below!

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