The Bone Houses

By: Emily Lloyd-Jones

Narrated by: Moira Quirk

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Sky in the Deep in this bewitching historical horror novel, perfect for fans of Holly Black and V.E. Schwab.

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 into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the deeply-buried truths about themselves. Equal parts classic horror novel and original fairy tale, The Bone Houses will have you spellbound from the very first minute.

An instant IndieBound best seller!

©2019 Emily Lloyd-Jones (P)2019 Little, Brown Young Readers

Critic reviews

"The Bone Houses is an atmospheric and enthralling tale about life after death that mixes thoughtful characterization with whimsy, horror, and a dash of magic. Emily Lloyd-Jones instantly transports you to a northern Wales of old where the dead rise and legends may turn out to be histories. It pulled me -- and every bone I possess -- in from the start and refused to loosen its hold. It's a book best consumed with the lights on and a hand to hold. You'll definitely need them!" (Kalie Young, Barns & Noble at the Grove, LA)

"Throw excellent world-building, action-packed prose, and incredible representation for chronic pain into a cauldron, and you'll get The Bone Houses, a masterclass on the epic journey archetype with plenty of surprises in store." (Sami Thomason, Square Books)

"A dark, mesmerizing fairytale reminiscent of the Grimm Brothers, the Brontes, and Neil Gaiman in turn. The Bone Houses is a haunting and hypnotic novel that I drank deeply and savored. Emily Lloyd-Jones is an author who should be on everyone's radar." (Mackenzi Lee, NYT best-selling author of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue)

Good for those who don't like YA

This book has beautifully written and eloquent prose that reads a bit more like an adult book than a young adult book. It begins a bit slow, but instead of being action driven, this book really shines in it's emotional intelligence. The characters are believable and relatable, the author steers away from many cliches. I loved Ellis and his softness as a male character. The ending is really nice and has a beautiful message. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fresh perspective on the fantasy genre.

Zombies + Fantasy = Win!

This was part of a book club read and I was pleasantly surprised by the subject matter. The fantasy take on the undead was refreshing. It was evident that a great deal of time was put into building out the world and characters, the settings used. The descriptions were immersive, making me feel as if I were the characters experiencing this wild adventure of life and death. The only issue I had was that the narrator sometimes slipped into similar tones when speaking the male character parts so it was difficult to determine who was speaking until it was stated. Otherwise, it was a highly enjoyable listen.

I enjoyed this book way more than I should have.

As a supposed "grown-up" I found myself sucked into this story early on even though it is rated as a YA title. It was a lovely tale for all ages. Narration was great.

loved it!

What an imaginative story! Many times throughout I thought, wow, I've never read that before! Even when traces of old and well-known stories emerge, they are wrapped in something new and original.Very engaging, lots of surprises, lovely life stories, excellent narration.

A wonderfuk stand alone book!

I'm not big in standalone books because more obtener then not the aurthor doesn't finish the book without leaving bits and pieces up in the air leaving the render not knowing what happened. But this book is complete at the end. I really enjoyed it.

Wonderful story

Great listen. I enjoyed it very much. The narrator is awesome. Dead people can be very touching.

Fallen King's the Goat!

Seriously a great story full of adventure, danger, and magic. It kept me on my toes through out the whole story l and I honestly would give it a listen again just to hear about the damned goat.

Very entertaining

Loved this book and I can’t wait for this writer to produce more. The characters are like able and the storyline is well thought out. Extremely entertaining as well as funny and thoughtful. Excellent narration and well performed!

Almost made me tear up toward the end.

It was a lovely story. It felt like and old fairytale. A proper fairytale: A little dark, a bit twisted, thought provoking. It made me stop and seriously question what I would choose if I were in the characters’ position. There also weren’t any heroes, which I found refreshing. All the characters were believable human beings, extraordinary in their own right, but never more than relatable humans struggling through life.

a fairytale.

i have read many a story along these same lines...its an easy listen ...a little different than a zombie story but still kinda a zombie story with a fairytale twist....4 stars because the ending could have been better