11/13/2023
Seventeen-year-old Rosy Holt, who has the rare ability to shift into a powerful bone wolf, wants nothing to do with the Cursed Kingdom and its prophesied war, preferring a simple life at the family horse ranch. When she saves the life of Princess Shaw Colchuck, however, Rosy is offered a spot at the prestigious Witch Hall, where the brightest witches and familiars of the Cursed Kingdom master their magic. She reluctantly accepts, hoping to make the connections required to bring her exiled grandmother home. But Rosy struggles adapting to the unfamiliar rules of noble society and hides her power as a bone familiar to avoid being drafted. Her plans are thrown into chaos when Shaw, the sole heir to the throne, chooses to court Rosy to further her own mysterious goals. As war looms, the two must learn to trust each other with their closest secrets to unlock their magic’s true potential. Richly rendered characters, an inventive magic system, and Rosy and Shaw’s sweetly budding and emotionally fraught relationship add verve to this queernormative fantasy adventure, in which debut author Skye perfunctorily explores themes of class discrimination and military indoctrination. Rosy cues as white; Shaw is described as having sepia skin and brown hair. Ages 13–up. Agent: Mary C. Moore, Aevitas Creative Management. (Feb.)
"Part fairy tale, part epic fantasy, and part magic school story, Daughter of the Bone Forest is wholly engrossing. It’s a fierce, wild-hearted coming of age story about love, loyalty, and staying true to oneself. I absolutely devoured it." - Nicki Pau Preto, Sunday Times bestselling author of Bonesmith and the Crown of Feathers trilogy
"Daughter of the Bone Forest seamlessly pulls you into a lush and enchanting world, complete with a magical school so immersive that Hogwarts pales in comparison. An exquisitely crafted tale of tender romance, family loyalty, and the crushing inevitability of adulthood—this book sinks its teeth into you and doesn’t let go." - Kylie Lee Baker, author of The Keeper of Night
"Daughter of the Bone Forest is an absolute powerhouse of a debut. In Skye's deft prose, a magic school and living landscapes showcase Daughter of the Bone Forest's beautiful heart: a longing to break free from the roles pushed upon us, to protect those we love, and to hold fast to our convictions and ourselves, even in the direst of circumstances. This is a truly special book, one that readers will be sure to love and one that I will be thinking about for a very long time." - Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All
"A captivating, high-stakes fantasy steeped in magic, witches and familiars, set against a backdrop of looming war. I was enthralled from the first page to the last and cannot wait for the sequel!" - Rati Mehrotra, author of Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove
"Daughter of the Bone Forest pulled me in from the first chapter and didn’t let go until the end—a unique and enthralling magic system, a complicated world asking hard questions with no easy answers, and characters you can’t help but root for. I loved it!" - C.L. Clark, award-winning author of The Unbroken
"This is a rich, queernormative fantasy... Give it to teens who love high fantasy and get incredibly invested in series books. It's not to be missed." — Booklist, starred review
"Richly rendered characters, an inventive magic system, and Rosy and Shaw’s sweetly budding and emotionally fraught relationship add verve to this queernormative fantasy adventure." —Publishers Weekly
“Peopled with queer characters representing the breadth of the gender spectrum, this epic hero’s journey is at turns touchingly romantic and graphically violent… A robustly imagined, intrinsically queer, and romantic high-fantasy epic.” — Kirkus
"This magical school dark fantasy set in a diverse and queer-normative world will leave readers eager for the next installment." — School Library Journal
01/01/2024
Gr 8 Up—Everyone knows war threatens the Cursed Kingdom, refuge of witches and animal-shape-shifting familiars. Seventeen-year-old familiar Rosy knows, but she wants none of it. Seeing how cruelly the military exploited then discarded her shapeshifter grandparents, she hides her own multiple shifts—especially her wolf. Unfortunately, saving Princess Shaw's life in the Bone Forest reveals some of Rosy's animals and lands her at Witch Hall, a witch and familiar boarding school. Though Rosy tries to evade notice, heir-to-the-throne Shaw officially courts her. Shaw hopes for a romantic witch-familiar bond to strengthen them for the coming conflict, but Rosy, despite feeling their connection, refuses to commit herself. War won't wait, though, and choices must be made. A cliff-hanger ending promises a sequel. Rosy is cued white. Shaw has "dark brown" hair and "pale sepia" skin. The queer-normative world features a racially and ethnically diverse cast. Skye's intriguing magical school inhabits a sometimes confusing but nonetheless compelling dark fantasy setting, featuring multiple types of witches and their corresponding familiars. Keeping track of the extensive cast may challenge readers, but the main characters are as compelling as their complex world. The unpredictable and rocky association between brash, uncompromising Rosy and necessarily more subtle Shaw will appeal to readers who appreciate complication and nuance in relationships. VERDICT This magical school dark fantasy set in a diverse and queer-normative world will leave readers eager for the next installment.—Rebecca Moore
Jeremy Carlisle Parker shows emotional breadth in her portrayal of 17-year-old Rosy Holt, who zealously guards her own and her grandmother's shape-shifting adventures in a remote forest. Parker heightens the initial tension during a dramatic scene in which Rosy saves the life of a princess. The taut plot continues as Rosy hides her secrets while attending magic school in the heart of the princess's kingdom. Parker's first-person narration contrasts with Lindsey Dorcus's periodic third-person chapters. Dorcus's delivery is more measured as she portrays the perceived strength of Princess Shaw. The way she reveals Shaw's thoughts, however, makes it clear that they are just as restrained by secrets as Rosy's. Engaging characters, a driving plot, fabulous world-building, and two wonderful narrators will leave listeners eager for the second in this duology! S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
2023-11-17
In the Cursed Kingdom, witches and familiars—humans who can shapeshift into animals—create powerful bonds through elaborate courtship rituals that give them power—and perhaps even bring them love.
A chance encounter with Princess Shaw, a powerful witch known as Death’s Heir for her prophesied leadership in an imminent war, sends Rosamund Holt to the prestigious and elitist school Witch Hall. Rosamund doesn’t want to leave her Gran, who was exiled after she went feral during a wolf shift. She’s also afraid that her robust shifting abilities will mean being drafted by a kingdom she has no interest in going to war for, given how it’s treated her family. Once entrenched in the magical school, Rosamund realizes she’s a powerful familiar and enjoys her studies. She balks when Shaw chooses to court her, however. Rosamund tries to deny her connection with Shaw, and she can’t help wondering what the princess really wants from her. Peopled with queer characters representing the breadth of the gender spectrum, this epic hero’s journey is at turns touchingly romantic and graphically violent. The action unfolds in a vivid and original world that leaves readers with a cliffhanger ending that promises more adventures with the compelling protagonists. Rosamund is light-skinned with “hay-colored hair”; Shaw has “pale sepia skin,” and there’s racial diversity in the supporting cast.
A robustly imagined, intrinsically queer, and romantic high-fantasy epic. (Fantasy. 14-18)
