A. J. Steiger

Fourteen-year-old Simon, with mediocre magical powers, and Alice, a young girl transformed into a monster, work together to discover a cure to her enchantment and uncover secrets of their pasts.

Cathedral of Bones

Sunyi Dean

Another book I was lucky enough to read a beta copy for, through a random beta swap on Absolute Write.

 Truly a fab novel and I'm so pleased others can read it now! For those who are wondering it's an MG fantasy with a lot of depth and strong Cthulhu influences. So creepy and cool and dark with just the right amount of levity for kids. I hope to recommend it to my daughter when she's a bit older!

A stunningly imagined world, page-turning thrills, and a pair of unlikely heroes on an epic quest make this unique and immersive dark fantasy—from acclaimed author A. J. Steiger—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Kelly Barnhill. Simon Frost lives in a curious place, where magic is used by the very best Animists to do wondrous things—like call upon imps, wraiths, and all manner of monsters to right wrongs, deliver justice, and accomplish feats no human could achieve. Simon Frost is not one of those Animists, though he’s been trying to become one for years. When a plea arrives from a distant hamlet, preyed upon by an abominable monster, Simon sees the opportunity to finally prove his worth. But upon arriving in the tiny village, Simon finds not just a monster but a key to his past—and a pathway into an unbelievable future.

Alexis 

3/5 Stars 

** I received this as an E-ARC from Edelweiss plus and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!** 

I have mixed feelings about this book. I feel very confused about the magic in this book. Everything just felt very jumbled to me. I will say the characters were interesting and I did enjoy them. Overall just an okay read for me.

Melea Mullican

This book is a solid mix of sci-fi and fantasy. I loved Simon and Alice's friendship, and I really enjoyed the character development and the overarching "message" of the story. This book bridges the gap between middle grade and YA. I would say it is most suitable for 13-15 years of age. There is death and violence discussed explicitly. 

With that being said, I think it would have functioned well as an adult book. The lore was incredibly interesting but also very poorly fleshed out. We really don't learn much about the inner workings, magic, or gods at all. 

I felt like the pacing could have used some work as well. Nothing of import seemed to happen until about 80 pages in, and then we hit a lull again before really revving up at the end. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the writing style. I just kept wanting more from it. The potential was there, but not developed. I do recommend it. Especially for young teen readers.

Cathedral of Bones

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