C.H.B. ARC Reviews: “The Bone Witch” By Rin Chupeco

Title: The Bone Witch
Author: Rin Chupeco
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publishing Date: March 1, 2017

**Disclaimer – I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review. This does not affect my review whatsoever.**

NetGalley Description: “In the captivating launch of this darkly lyrical fantasy series, Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price…

Let me be clear: I never intended to raise my brother from his grave, though he may claim otherwise. if there’s anything I’ve learned from him in the years since, it’s that the dead hide truths as well as the living.

Tea is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy makes her a bone witch, who are feared and ostracized in her community. But under the guidance of an older, wiser bone witch, Tea learns to wield her magic in the face of dark forces and the deceit of those who would plot against her- including the ruling royals, who are waging their own war for control of her homeland…”

My Review

I read author Rin Chupeco’s last two novels The Girl In the Well and The Suffering. I instantly fell in love with the books about this semi-malicious spirit who became justice for murdered individuals by killing their murderers. This new novel, The Bone Witch, is a quick change of pace compared to the other novels.

Chupeco turns her attention to the asha community and travels to a world we are told a tale from the perspective of our main character Tea. She foretells parts of her life in the beginning of this tale, including a possible love triangle, but it honestly was not needed in my opinion. The basis of this tale lies within a world filled with families of asha who are gifted in various ways. Tea’s sisters are gifted in the ways of creativity while her brother was more of a farmer. At the time, Tea was not aware of the gifts she held until the death of her brother. Her gifts finally rose up out of the “grave” within herself to breath life back into her brother’s lifeless body.

Tea is suddenly deemed a “Bone Witch” and feared amongst her community.  Word of a traveling Bone Witch by the name of Mykaela soon reached Tea’s village and Mykaela immediately took the helm as teacher and mother figure towards Tea. Upon there Mykaela, Tea, and Tea’s brother embark on a journey filled with conquering demons, curing illnesses, and lessons to learn.

One particular subject I find fascinating in this story are the heart glasses. People’s attitudes, feelings, and health are projected as colors through these heart shaped glass necklaces they wear about their necks. They are basically aura readers which project an individual’s aura colors outward for everyone to see. These are special in the ways towards love where soul mates exchange their heart glasses with on another. But, they must be careful because whomever you share your heart glass with has the power to control you if the person is not your soulmate.

My only issue with this book are the massive volumes of descriptions. The majority of this book is consumed by descriptions, more so than the plot itself. If the descriptions were trimmed by half, it would have been a one hundred percent success.

My Rating: 7 out of 10 Book Charms

 

Happy Reading,

~C.C.