Bones

The Bones Series, Book 1

By: K.L. Speer

Narrated by: Megan Carver

Bones was born with the miraculous power to heal, but all her gift has brought is death.

As a child, her older brother trained her to survive, and so survive she did. The blood on her hands will never wash off, she is broken and scarred in more ways than one, but she survived.

After finally escaping the ruthless raiders who imprisoned her for twelve long years, Bones is haunted by her past and desperate for atonement. Freedom is short-lived, however, as the rumors of her abilities catch up to her. Dragged to the northwest mountain stronghold known as the Vault, Bones finds herself involuntarily drawn to the tight-knit crew who captured her, and the feelings she begins to develop for Trey, the heart of the crew, scare her more than all the horrors of her past.

Bones struggles to maintain her distance, navigate her trauma, and deal with the new horrifying ways her healing powers are used to root out a budding revolution. As her defenses slowly break down, everything she believes about herself and the world is challenged, forcing her to confront the question: what are you surviving for?

Contains mature themes.

©2023 K.L. Speer (P)2023 Tantor Media

HOLY EMOTIONS

Holy emotions—this romantasy is intense. Be prepared for a story filled with mistrust, healing, heartbreak, and heavy trauma. The plot dives deep into gang wars and internal conflict, creating a dark and emotionally charged atmosphere.

The FMC is a healer, and while she is strong in the sense that she endures everything thrown at her, her strength often shows more internally than through her actions. Her internal battles are powerful, but her lack of decisive action made it difficult for me to fully connect with her growth.

I’m unsure if I’ll continue on to book two. This installment ends with her finally attempting to heal herself, only to be pulled right back into more drama. I’ll likely check reviews first to see if the FMC begins making stronger, more thoughtful decisions moving forward.

LOVE!

Bones gave me serious Mad Max dystopian vibes in the best way, but what really got me was the emotional depth. The FMC is incredibly strong, yet so raw and vulnerable, and watching her try to survive while carrying so much trauma broke my heart. The slow-burn romance builds so quietly and beautifully, and by the last part of the book I was honestly ugly-crying. This one hurt in all the right ways, and I already need the next book.
I would have loved this done in the duet style of audiobook, but the narrator did a great job,

Pulls you right in

The narrator does an amazing job of pulling you into the story. It was such a different pace and style than I’m used to. It’s not slow but also there’s not much movement. I was locked in the whole time but also like when is something going to happen. The cliff hanger on the last page is what I thought was going to happen 70% in. That said it’s still really good and I can’t wait for the next book.
Spice 🌶️🌶️

⭐️⭐️🌟 — 3 Stars — Bones by K.L. Speer

Going into this book, I guessed it was going to be a villain origin story. The whole vibe gave me Mad Max, major Fallout, and even some Tombstone-style western energy — gritty, dusty, and lawless in the best way.

Trey absolutely stole the show for me. I loved his character and every scene he was in. What pulled my rating down was the FMC. She let everyone else control her fate, and the constant “I’m fine” really bugged me after a while.

The ending left me unsure where this story is going next, but it definitely kept me curious. Trey alone made it worth the read, and overall, I enjoyed it but it was not my favorite.

P.S. I have not been hurt this much by a character’s death since Exodus by Kate Stewart. That one hurt more… but this was close.

The struggle

Half way through this and I AM STRUGGLING!! The writing is so incredibly basic. We’re just repeating the same thing everyday in the story line. Here’s how the conversation goes between Bones and Trey.
Trey: Bones, are you doing ok?
Bones: I’m fine!!
Over and over again this is written. Every other chapter Bones is getting the crap beat out of her by a new person. Proving once again she has no back bone. Seriously debating Dnfing at this point. Also the southern accent of the narrator makes me feel like it’s being told in a Wild West setting. Where is the world building to even explain this?!