I absolutely adored Daughter of the Bone Forest. It swept me away. If you’re looking for a queer fantasy about power, this is for you. There’s fantastic magic, schools and classes, and a promise of more to come. Keep reading this book review of Daughter of the Bone Forest for my full thoughts.
Summary
Rosy is a bone familiar, gifted with the power to shift into animals marked with exposed bone. She spends most of her days in the magical Bone Forest, caring for her feral grandmother and hiding her powers to avoid conscription by the Witch King’s army. Until the day that Princess Shaw, a witch known as Death’s Heir, visits the Forest. When Rosy saves Shaw’s life, the princess offers her the chance to attend the prestigious school, Witch Hall, as payment. Though Rosy is wary of Shaw’s intentions, she cannot pass up the opportunity to find the cure for her grandmother’s affliction.
But at Witch Hall, Rosy finds herself embroiled in political games she doesn’t understand. Shaw wants Rosy for her entourage, a partner to help lead the coming war. All Rosy wants is to stay out of trouble until she can graduate and save her grandmother, but she can’t deny her attraction to Shaw or the comfort Shaw’s magic gives her. Will Rosy give in to her destiny, or will the Bone Forest call her home once and for all?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Daughter of the Bone Forest is a stunning debut. This queer normative bone and transformation magic story is my latest obsession. Let’s just begin the emotional roller coaster of my love. Firstly, I loved how the forest is almost like it’s own sentient character. The secrets, motivations, and darkness it hides. From the beginning, Rosy only agrees to go to the school to find a cure for her grandmother and to never be dragged into the war which ended in her grandmother’s feral state and her grandfather’s death. But we all know how intentions end.
What ends up ensuing in Daughter of the Bone Forest is a story about coming into our own power. About the ways royalty and nobility might use our powers as fodder, but also the very real people, friends, and loved ones who are lost in the crossfire. This dual POV story is about what we will do with our power. How much we will witness without saying a word. I adored the magic world building. If you love animal magic then this has to be on your TBR.
Daughter of the Bone Forest delivers enemies to romance, fake courting/dating, and queer feels all in one. It’s about the choices we make to protect the ones we love – even if they don’t like them. How we can have our homes, our upbringings, thrown in our face. But how do we react? Do we just try to camouflage us into the background? Or do we say something. The dual POV is a fantastic choice not only for us to witness the swoons and feels, but also Shaw’s POV allows us to see hints of what awaits them when they graduate, the politics coming.
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Daughter of the Bone Forest is about who we truly are. How we can sometimes have power and influence, even if we don’t want it. But we have to make the most of it because we are the right ones for it. Find Daughter of the Bone Forest on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.