Marrow Charm

A page-turner from start to end, this dystopian novel was easily able to capture my attention from the get-go with the magical creative writing style the author was able to displayed, refreshing and unique characters, and storyline that captivated me. With this novel being the first I have read from this author, I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, The Parliament House, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review. All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication. Content Warning: Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Slavery, Injury, Abduction We fear magic and those who are tainted by it. So quick to exile these doomed souls, be they innocent youths or beloved spouses. We expel those who fall prey to their own blood and yet use the castoffs, the remnants of twisted fauna and corrupted flora, to cure our ills. Survival has made hypocrites of us all. Marrow Charm totally took me by surprise. To be honest, I didn’t read even the entire synopsis before picking it up. I just knew that I had to read it. I’m so glad that I did! This book is magical, heart-wrenching and lusciously dark. Marrow Charm felt slightly reminiscent of the writing style used in The Beast Is An Animal and The Cold Is In Her Bones. The main character, Azure or “Azzy,” is no stranger to a life of hardness and unpleasantries. Having a mother that passed years before, and a brother who shows signs of the taint--the effects that magic has on a human once infected--festering, Azzy does everything she can to keep the symptoms at bay. She regularly risks her life to venture to the Above--the land above ground which is crawling with tainted creatures of twisted magic--to gather supplies. These supplies come from the horrific creatures of the Above, and are used in potions crafted by Oswin Brixby, apothecary to the Heap, and guardian to Azzy and her brother. When her brother is seized by a prophetic vision that the Rot--the onset of the curse of magic--is coming, Azzy does all she can to protect her brother to keep the leaders of the Heap from discovering that he is tainted. Armin was newly tainted. He would be led out, thrown to the mercy of a world crawling with monsters until he became one. Alone. When the child of another woman dies, she tells the leaders of the Below about Arwin, and eventually causes his banishment to the Above. Azzy and Brixby venture into the lands of the Above to recover Armin before the sickness overtakes him. I could literally sit here and unpack the dense world that was built throughout all of Marrow Charm, but I won’t because I don’t want to spoil anything for those who read it (which should be all of you who love dark fantasies). Know that a wolf has a huge role to play, dandelions can seal someone’s fate, and terrible lies are spewed to cover up even less-appealing secrets. I do want to discuss some of the beautiful themes used throughout Marrow Charm that absolutely sucked me into this story. First off, family. ”I know I’m not like you, sister mine, but we both know you need me. Otherwise, you’d have left me behind, no matter what I said.” Even though the interaction between Azzy and Armin is short-lived, the love that these siblings have for one-another is piercing. Their kinship is what drives the plot forward. The one goal Azzy had is to get to her brother. Everything else pales in comparison. I actually felt that Azzy’s character development mimicked the path that she physically traversed. Her goal and her character growth go hand-in-hand. Never losing sight of her goal, she, and the things around her, change drastically. As she uncovers characteristics about herself, she doesn’t use them to amplify her own person. She applies them to aid her in her search for Arwin. In a way, I felt that the Azure that we get to know in the beginning of the story is eclipsed by this new version of Azure, and she becomes much harder to read. Don’t get me wrong. For me, I really enjoyed her character development. I’ve never seen a character become more introspective and reserved as the story reaches its apex. The second theme I kept stumbling upon which reading was: finding friendship where friendship seems all but lost. This is a very dark tale. I could feel it’s “weight” while reading. But when these instances occurred, it added that glimmer of hope in a world where everything seems sinister in nature. As I said before, I could talk a lot more about this book, but I will refrain. Read it. I only wish I could have had more descriptions of locations, just to get a better sense of where I was. Nevertheless, I am so anxious for Skin Curse! Vulgarity: Some. Sexual content: Kissing. Violence: Quite a bit, mainly gore. My Rating: ★★★★★ My Blog ¦ Bookstagram ¦ Twitter ¦ Pinterest ¦ Facebook

Thank you to The Write Reads, BBNYA, and the author for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! “She swallowed hard. Screams were for fools and food; Azzy refused to be either.” When I first signed up to be a panelist for BBNYA 2020, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I have read criminally few indie authors, which is why I signed up in the first place, so I felt both nervous and excited to be a part of the team. And then, when we got to the finals, I was lucky enough to be assigned Marrow Charm as one of my reads. I’m so glad it was one of my finalist reads because it absolutely blew me away! This book follows a young woman called Azzy. Azzy has spent most of her life underground after wild magic has taken over the surface. With magic destroying or twisting much of the world above, those that live below are distrustful of anyone who shows they have magical abilities. So, when Azzy’s little brother starts having prophetic dreams, she is determined to keep him out of the eye of those that would cast him out. Everything comes to a head when a magical plague sweeps through the underground city and, in an effort to save the people who live there, her brother’s magic is exposed. When he is exiled to the surface, Azzy sets out to find him and keep him safe, even if she has to brave the dangers of the Above. Y’all, when I tell you that this book is a work of art! Everything about this story is masterfully crafted, from the world-building, to the characters, and beyond! Let’s talk about the characters first. Azzy was such a spectacular lead! She had so much depth and complexity that she felt incredible real. I loved how vivid and alive she felt for a fictional character. Watching her character grow and develop as the story went on was such a treat, as well. It all felt natural, organic… nothing seemed forced or like it was thrown in just to further the plot. Well… except for maaaybe the romance. Azzy’s romance with a certain character kind of felt like it came out of left field, but I don’t think it detracted from the book. It just didn’t do much for me personally. And, even though I didn’t care for the romance, I still think the love interest was just as intriguing and well-crafted as Azzy, herself. In fact, all of the characters had that vivid quality that made them come alive in my imagination. This author also has a way of painting a picture with her words. I found myself easily imagining the world that was being built for us and it made the story that much more compelling! I got lost in Jacques richly imagined story and I honestly did not care. I could have stayed there for much longer! I thought the world-building was wonderfully done. It never felt like information was just being piled on to me. And everything about this world was so fascinating that I wanted to know more! The writing also captivated me and kept me invested in the story. I will say that the pacing was a bit uneven for me, with some parts dragging just a touch. For the most part, though, this story keeps you charging towards the conclusion from page one and I, for one, was happy to go along for the ride! Final thoughts: Marrow Charm is an incredibly wrought fantasy that has immersive world-building and characters that practically leap off the page! Though the romance wasn’t my cup of tea and there were moments that lagged, this was overall an amazing beginning to a new young adult fantasy series. I can’t wait to pick up the next book and continue Azzy’s journey. If you enjoy intricate magic systems, lush world-building, and lots of action, I think you would love Marrow Charm!