Oh my god this book, I loved it. Loved everything about it.

Bone Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elaras Night Heavens or Tyruss Underworld comes from sacrifice.

The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers one true love.

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I was in love with the cover – Charlie Bowater is a goddess!

Ailesse is a young women who has been preparing since she was born to become not just a Leuress (women who ferry the dead) but the matriarch of her famille as her mother Odiva is the current matriarch which makes Ailesse her heir. They follow two gods Tyrus (underworld/hell) and Elara (afterlife/heaven).

Women that are preparing to become a Leuress, must procure three bone graces before performing a ritual which will attract their amoures (true love/soulmate). There they have two options, kill them after the ritual or live with them for a year, have a child and then they must be killed. If they are not killed after the year is up, both their lives are forfeit. 

Ailesse already has two bone graces, and is currently hunting the third, a tiger shark. When they have their graces they are gifted with the abilities of the animal the bone came from. Sabine who is Ailesse’s best friend, loves animals and finds it hard to collect hers so the only one she has is from a fire Salamander which gives her quick healing abilities. I really like Sabine, she is the softer side to Ailesse’s brash/boldness. 

While Ailesse is preparing for her ritual we switch narrators to a boy called Bastien who is hellbent on killing the Bone Criers because one of them lured his father to a bridge and killed him while Bastien looked on as a child and since then he wants vengeance. Bastien has teamed up with two others who have gone through a similar situation, though their father died through illness (from not being killed within the year limit) and the three of them plot their revenge.

Ailesse with Sabine acting as witness, plays the amoure song on the bone flute and Bastien appears as if he is her amoure. There things go wrong on both sides and Ailesse ends up being captured by Bastien and his friends, Sabine is hurt but manages to flee and therein starts the hunt for Ailesse, the search for the missing bone flute and the consequences of not having the bone flute when ferrying night arrives with the new moon.

This was such an original story, I won’t spoil it too much but it was such an enjoyable read! I loved the sisterly relationship between Ailesse and Sabine. I disliked Odiva from the start, she was sly and there’s something afoot there! Bastien is adorable and I love the twist towards the end which, as I hope there will be a sequel.

A brilliant first book in a new duology with engaging characters, a dark magical famille and forbidden romance. I adored it and cannot wait for the sequel!

Thank you thank you thank you to Harper Collins for sending me this book!! Bone Crier’s Moon is out April 30th in the UK. You can buy it here!