Review: The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Book Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.

Find out more about the book on Goodreads

My Review:

5 Out Of 5 Stars

Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance, Royal-Court, Supernatural, Suspense, Teen, Zombies--

Ryn has always loved the land, her life, digging graves and putting the dead where they belong. After the death of her parents, she tries her hardest to take care over her brother and sister, but it seems like the dead, or Bone Houses as they are known, won't stay where they are put. Traveling map maker Ellis just wants to survive his chronic pain, make maps of uncharted areas and possibly find out the truth about his origins. When Ryn and Ellis's paths collide, neither could have foreseen the journey they are about to take on.

“I grew up thinking monsters could be slain.”

“Ah,” he said. “And I grew up thinking people were the monsters.”

Ok, I am a complete fan girl here. I love, love loved this book, it is easily one of my favorite reads from 2019 and I would not change a single thing about this story. I have no idea how Emily was able to create this story with so many magical wonderful components that fit so well together. I finished the book a while ago and I put off writing this review because I had no idea what to say to really show the story how enamored I was with it, so now this will be a brief review where I will highly encourage you to pick up a copy of this standalone story full of romance, magic, adventure, horror, mythology and great main characters who felt like real people I knew and rooted for. I selfishly wish there was a sequel so I could see what else Ryn would get herself into, but the ending was too perfect for me to wish it was changed. I will not go purchase all of Emily's previous books because she made a fan of me complete.

And just know the goat is the hero here.

Or, perhaps it went something like this: A goat ended the curse. It got tired of its humans being distracted by hordes of dead soldiers, so it went into the mountains and ate the cauldron.