YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco!

This looks good! I'll join you if I can find some time...

Loved, loved, loved that prologue!

End of chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ So, this boy died for her and didn't want to come back, then? (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 4 (view spoiler)[ is there going to be a love triangle? (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 6 (view spoiler)[ eh, this slowed down a bit, right? I do wonder about that boy in the cloak, though (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 7: (view spoiler)[ I think they're only waiting for her to stop obeying orders so readily to start her training. (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 8 (view spoiler)[ she can raise those things??? (hide spoiler)]

I'll be starting very soon. Glad to know you loved the prologue Tati and TJ :D

Tati wrote: "End of chapter 3 [spoilers removed]"

I'm wondering about this myself! I'm about 65% through and we still know very little about it. I'm hoping it's revealed soon.

Ok, so I am a little over halfway through and I'm really liking it so far! The Memoirs of a Geisha vibes are awesome, and I love how the magic system is incorporated! I feel like it is a bit slow-moving at times, but I'm pretty sure there are going to be more books so I'm looking at this as more of a story-developing book.

(view spoiler)[ Is it too early for me to ship Tea/Kalen? :P (hide spoiler)]

Okay, back to this!

(sorry, Empire Of Storms got in the way)

Up to chapter 17 - this is getting a bit slow, and, as I was reading this, I kinda realized that I don't really know the plot yet

Tati wrote: "Up to chapter 17 - this is getting a bit slow, and, as I was reading this, I kinda realized that I don't really know the plot yet"

I agree...it's sort of just been her telling us about her life so far, with teasing what's happened since during the times when she's talking to the Bard on the beach. I mean, I'm not mad about it, but it's like...ok, is there any actual conflict coming?

Exactly! I'm like, how did this girl become that girl that's talking to the Bard?

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Reading from the 13th of October 2016

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Finished for the September buddy read (sorry it's not before the new read marker) (view spoiler)[ So all in all, I liked this. I'm really interested to see where it goes, especially now that I know Tea and Kalen are in love at some point (totally called it hahah). I am assuming that the next book will work through her continued past story, and the Bard will be narrating what she's doing with the daeva army she's built in the present. I'm sad that she and Fox aren't presently on speaking terms, but I'm gonna make an educated guess and assume that she learned Dark side stuff from the faceless pretending to be the scullery maid and that's where stuff's gonna go down. I feel like this book had very little real action but it was a good story and I think continuing on from this one, we'll get waaaaay more stuff happening. (hide spoiler)]

Tati wrote: "End of chapter 4 [spoilers removed]"

I bet there is, now that we know who is in the grave on the beach!

im in

Finally planning on reading this this week. Looks like it can go either way.

11% (view spoiler)[ It's tsjen me some time to get used to the story but I'm liking it now. It feels so mysterious what with her speaking in the present about her past. I hope to get really close to her character and others. I'm interested to see who died for her and I'm hoping she has a better ending then I k ow she does. (hide spoiler)]

30% (view spoiler)[ I feel like I'm missing things because there is so much high fantasy type words going on here. I'm interested but I'm impatient too for the story to really begin or at least the climax. I'm curious what Fox does and why he is there. He obviously wants to protect her for something and he is not in the present so I wonder if he died. I'm curious about the boy that has the same heartglass as her. He doesn't realize who he is. I think he will be the one who ends up dying for her. (hide spoiler)]

53% (view spoiler)[ I like Kalen. I want to know what is going on in his head. I really just want to get to the part where Tea's story begins. I want to know more about the faceless. They must have sent the skeleton to her. I find it rude that they would use the dead for their misdeeds. (hide spoiler)]

Done (view spoiler)[ I knew it! I was hoping she would fall for Kalen but I am so sad he died and surprised he would let her do the things she's doing. This was so slow but enjoyable. (hide spoiler)]

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Date Changed. Restarting March 3rd 2017. Happy Reading ☺

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chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ she actually raised him from the dead! Pretty impressive! (hide spoiler)]

Started this yesterday, and I'm really liking it so far! I especially love the back and forth format between the past and present as Tea tells her story. The hints and hindsight given after the events occurred give varying perspectives on the events, and that makes it more interesting to me!

chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ speaking to the king that way was not a good idea. (hide spoiler)]

Meaghan wrote: "Started this yesterday, and I'm really liking it so far! I especially love the back and forth format between the past and present as Tea tells her story. The hints and hindsight given after the eve..."

I'm finding the bits in italic at the end of each chapter a bit confusing.

chapter 8 (view spoiler)[ talk about putting her in an impossible situation. she's not going to get out of it easy. (hide spoiler)]

chapter 9 (view spoiler)[ well that's certainly one way to demonstrate her power. (hide spoiler)]

chapter 13 (view spoiler)[ hoping this picks up a bit soon, all this stuff about her training is so slow! (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "Meaghan wrote: "Started this yesterday, and I'm really liking it so far! I especially love the back and forth format between the past and present as Tea tells her story. The hints and hindsight giv..."

I can see that. I like the new perspective it brings (one from the future), and the foreshadowing it provides. But it adds in a new "narrator" not fully relevant to the current plot. It helps I read a book recently that was formatted the exact way (which was a classic, and leagues more confusing.)

Sarah wrote: "chapter 5 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[She's definitely an abrasive character. I would think she would have a little more fear/respect when it comes to the king, since she hasn't exactly met anyone important before. (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "chapter 13 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[it is unfortunately very slow ); doesn't really pick up either, until an explosion of actions and twists at the end. Which I guess is something to look forward to then? (hide spoiler)]

I just finished, and I actually really ended up liking it. I started growing attached to Tea, probably thanks to seeing both her growing up and what she ended up being (since young Tea isn't always the most likable...)

It is so slow though. I find the ending ended up being worth the build up, and I'm curious where the series goes, but I can definitely see a lot of people dropping the book 25%-75% of the way through due to it's super slow pacing.

Hi! Sorry I'm joining a bit late!

Beginning of chapter 8 (21%): (view spoiler)[ I really liked the bit in italics at the very beginning as a kind of prologue. It sets up this idea of a story within a story even though some of the references are kind of confusing.

I'm not sure I really like the italics at the end of every chapter/beginning of the next chapter though. It seems a bit like too much foreshadowing. Like you already know what the main plot points are going to be.

The writing kind of reminds me of Leigh Bardugo or Susan Dennard. & I'm definitely kind of confused with all the names and references like I was with Truthwitch. I'm also not sensing much action/actual plot is going on & that makes me nervous.

I can't say that I really like any of the characters yet or that I'm attached to them. But I am intrigued by the magic system. (hide spoiler)]

CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Hi! Sorry I'm joining a bit late!

."

(view spoiler)[ I'm not liking the bits in italics at the end of the chapters either, I'm finding them a bit confusing as to who is actually speaking! (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Hi! Sorry I'm joining a bit late!

."

[spoilers removed]"

I believe the "I" is the girl who's interviewing Tea. & Tea is the "she".

CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Hi! Sorry I'm joining a bit late!

."

[spoilers removed]"

I believe the "I" is the girl who's interviewing Tea. & Tea is the "she"."

That would make sense, its just hard to keep track, and who the heck is the person asking the questions? are we not supposed to know her?

Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Hi! Sorry I'm joining a bit late!

."

[spoilers removed]"

I believe the "I" is the girl who's interviewing Tea. & Tea is..."

I think we might find out at the end...

Meaghan wrote: "Sarah wrote: "chapter 13 [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Just finishing chapter 13 (41%): (view spoiler)[ I have to agree that this is pretty slow. I thought we might get a bit more action when she makes that tea room burst with skeletons but that only seems to serve as the means to start her actual training as an asha. Which is silly.

The training seems to have a very geisha like quality about it. They have to be pretty and done up and learning to entertain. There's something about that that just doesn't sit well me with I guess? Especially in Tea's case. With magic as powerful as hers, you'd think that would command some element of respect rather than her having to bow and scrape to everyone else. Idk, I'm just not finding that very interesting. I could do without the chapters on finding her colors and pretty ribbons to put in her hair.

I am interested in why she's raising daeva as her pets? She mentioned an army? I think this novel would be a lot more interesting if it focused on that and only little flashes of the training stuff. (hide spoiler)]

CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Meaghan wrote: "Sarah wrote: "chapter 13 [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Just finishing chapter 13 (41%): I have to agree that this is pretty slow. I thought we might get a bit more acti..."

The training stuff is pretty dull reading, and the stuff about her clothes and such isn't exactly thrilling either.

65% (not entirely sure what chapter that is right now): (view spoiler)[ I'm definitely not going to finish this today but I'm getting there! Not much has really happened since my last update. Which is kind of sad. The sister asha are interesting--I like Polais (?). I'm not sure Zoya is a good choice though. & I'm super interested to know what Tea is up to in the future & to know who she's talking to. (hide spoiler)]

FINISHED! (view spoiler)[ Unfortunately I don't think that the ending really redeemed this novel as we are still missing bits of what's going on. (hide spoiler)]

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1832663267

CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "FINISHED! [spoilers removed]

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

(view spoiler)[ i felt quite confused by the ending. (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "FINISHED! [spoilers removed]

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Agreed. The part where she was part of the dragon or vice versa was super confusing to me. I couldn't tell which was which. (hide spoiler)]

CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "FINISHED! [spoilers removed]

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

It was really hard to know what was going on!

Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Sarah wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Hi! Sorry I'm joining a bit late!

."

[spoilers removed]"

I believe the "I" is the girl who's interviewing Tea. & Tea is..."

I believe it's mentioned/hinted at in the beginning, and his past is broughtup multiple times when talking with Tea. I'm pretty sure he's a bard of sorts, and was kicked out of his kingdom for speaking out against the horrors there.

Unfortunately it seems I was the only one who really enjoyed the book! I guess it just seemed to click for me, I actually loved the foreshadowing of each book, since it actually made me start to like Tea as a character (since she wasn't always the most likable character when she was young!) I think it also helped that I've read some classics recently that had the same "interview/reteller of the story" thing going on, which may have helped me better keep track of the characters and POVs in those italic portions, since the classics I was forced to understand for a grade.