Oh, this was fun. "Fun" might be a weird adjective to apply to a book that's relentlessly dark and violent, but it's true--the action never let up and main character was a clever, cool-headed guide through her horrific and fascinating world. NOT EVEN BONES feels fresh and different in a lot of ways: the South American jungle setting isn't one I've encountered in YA before, and while I guess this is technically contemporary fantasy, it reads more like a thriller. Highly recommended (for those who can handle body horror)!

Absolutely adored this one. Completely unique and delightfully gory, this is a must-by for all YA collections.

Wow.

Just...wow. In a good way. In the best way. You want to know how to do horror and gore and also troubled family dynamics and colonialism in a single YA book? Look no further. Rebecca Schaeffer's Not Even Bones is your dark remedy to the fact that Darkdawn got pushed back. This is one of the most innovative books I've read all year, and it doesn't even seem to be trying hard. The whole concept feels so effortless, so intuitive, that you can miss how much thought and effort went into crafting this world and Nita's place within it.

Nita is the daughter of some Very Bad People, traffickers in human remains. Specifically the remains of Unnaturals, people who have anything from enhanced healing to just rose-pink melanin. It doesn't matter if those abilities persist after death, or accomplish anything: if there's an Unnatural, someone will want the body.

That's where Nita comes in. Nita doesn't kill or maim. That's as far as she's willing to think about things, because she doesn't like feeling bad. And dissecting bodies of the conveniently-already-dead makes her feel good. She really enjoys her work. Removing organs and powdering bone is the life she wants. Even when she's kidnapped to be sold, she wants to get back to the life she had. Right?

Nita is an unusual but hardly unprecedented heroine in her clinical remove from her own emotions. She prefers medical textbooks and sterile dissection rooms to human interaction, but then again, with whom would she interact? Her parents have moved her all around the world and isolated her, since their black market business doesn't exactly make friends. It's hard to say whether it's emotional trauma and neglect that have rendered her remote from others, or whether she has some innate neurological differences. I'm glad that it's ambiguous, since slapping labels on things destroys the nuance of individuals, who are, as the book so succinctly and excellently points out: "people were never just one thing."

Nobody is what they seem, and not in a trite, romantic way. The rude, broody hunk really is a sadistic maniac. No part of his sadistic mania is downplayed just because he also happened to have a rough childhood or supernatural hungers. This book makes no excuses for its characters, and yet manages to paint each of them as fully formed human beings. Not evil caricatures. Not even blood-spattered anti-heroes.

This has been compared to Dexter, which I see superficially, but it's actually much closer to Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff. Mia and Nita don't overlay perfectly, but Mia's love of chemistry and Nita's expertise in biology leads me to think they would get along. The heroines wrestle with trading their hearts for stones, so as to not feel badly about cutting people up. They both want vengeance and survival, not to gratify an urge.

Kovit, Nita's maybe-captor maybe-ally, does need to feed an urge, but not for serial murder. He literally must feed on pain in order to survive. Though presumably he could get by on haunting ERs and speed-dating venues, causing pain directly is far more delicious to him. Literally. He is part of a particular strain of Unnatural who gravitate toward dictatorial regimes and crime families for employment, since torture feeds their bodies—and wreaks havoc with their minds. Having to subsist on human misery—from infancy no less—can skew anyone's perceptions.

Perception of morality rather than absolute morality is a consistent theme in Not Even Bones, done with a deft touch. Two teenagers trying to survive in an already pitch-dark moral universe can only choose between bad and worse. And sure, they could swear to avenge their brethren and take down all black market crime, but their skills and resources are limited. Nita doesn't even know how to throw a punch, and she misses about half the shots she takes with her gun (thank you, Rebecca Schaeffer, for making that realistic). Ideals die quickly in this world, but not hope.

A lot of times I have trouble with YA not considering the implications of its own fantasy or SF elements. Not Even Bones is not one of those books; it is meticulously and brilliantly conceived in the broad strokes and the details. Geopolitics and international police forces interact in the background of Nita's life as she goes about her daily business of dissection and research.

What impresses me most is that Schaeffer understands how to build a world not from facts but also from ignorance. No one fully understands how certain Unnatural traits work or where they come from, and regular humans exploit and oppress Unnaturals out of fear or mistaken notions. Just like consuming tiger and pangolin for supposed magical qualities, people eat or even snort parts of Unnatural bodies to gain real or imagined effects. And to justify it to themselves, they consistently refer to Unnaturals by “it” or “that,” dehumanizing them as much as possible.

But humanity is a tricky concept, and blurry around the edges. Certainly the kidnappers, mobsters, and others involved in the black market have lost their humanity. Or, if they represent humanity—neither Nita nor Kovit have known anything else, after all—then maybe being human isn’t what they want in the end.

And that ending! I find cliffhangers torturous, but usually because they're contrived. This ending is torturous because there is another entire year before the next book comes out. I wanted to howl. I think my "no!" did hit an impressively high octave when I read the last page. But I can't complain, because this is the perfect example of a cliffhanger done right: the main story has been satisfyingly concluded, but the larger arc of loose ends carries questions—and not action—beyond the final page. I'm sure there will be action, and plenty of it, but nothing felt left undone for this book.

Not Even Bones will be published September 4th.

Originally, I’d given this 4 stars on goodreads and honestly?

I don’t know why. I loved this book. Why would I give it 4 stars? Not Even Bones was everything dark and morally grey I wanted in a book for so long. Screw 4 stars. This deserves all 5 of them.

Past Mith was not thinking, evidently, but current Mith—me!! current me!—is thinking. And I say that this book is a solid debut and you need to pre-order if you can. 

If you’re like me, you’ve probably craved a dark YA that pushes the boundaries. Or wished a book dug a little deeper, got a little—a lot—darker. Schaeffer does that. I hope she continues to do that. 

I just loved it. I loved how messy and grey the main character was. How deeply Not Good all the other characters acted. But, Nita. Man, if Nita doesn’t have my heart—I’ll refrain from including a bad line here. She was such a badass and she got things done. She was logical, level-headed, and didn’t suffer from that self-sacrificing nonsense. She was always her first priority and I adored it.

Not Even Bones has a lot of great things going on for it, but one of my favourite parts was how Schaeffer talked about privilege in the book. It’s not something I’m super nuanced in actually, properly discussing, unfortunately, but it is something I’m becoming more and more aware of and I’m glad Schaeffer brought it up.

There wasn’t a lot that really bothered me? I mean, maybe a small thing here or there, but mostly that was the different supernaturals mentioned. They each had something that made them unique, and dropping stuff like that doesn’t help my confusion lmao. I loved that they were part of the world, though. 

I was not expecting most of what happens in this book outside of what’s mentioned in the synopsis. So all the twists? Definitely caught me off guard and definitely added to my enjoyment of the book. It was also what made Not Even Bones so difficult to put down! 

Would I recommend this? Oh, yes. Yes, I definitely would. Dark, sort of gory, and bloody, this was a wild start and a wilder finish. If you’re squeamish, maybe skip this one. But if you’re not, I definitely say check it out!

Wow, so.... the "Dexter meets This Savage Song" comparison really encapsulates this? This is a deeply fucked up book, in a good way. You know how sometimes, you read YA fantasy and you just feel like it could have gone darker and it doesn’t? Not Even Bones just keeps Going There. 

Not Even Bones follows Nita, a girl who dissects other supernatural beings for the black market - until she’s sold into the black market herself. So first of all, this book is impossible to put down and so addicting. It's almost a thriller and almost an urban fantasy book and either way, it's so fun to read. I never knew what was coming next - all I knew was that I was desperate to find out. 

And better yet, this book features some seriously cool worldbuilding. Nita lives in a world where supernatural beings are prized for their parts but despised for their being, but also look exactly like other humans.

Something I liked here is there is some seriously biting social commentary slipped in there? Set in Peru and following American characters, this book doesn’t shy away from the obvious discussion of colonialism and privilege in America. With a lead cast of almost entirely characters of color, it’s a very interesting read. There’s also some discussion of eugenics-ish politics, which as some of you may know is something I’m super passionate about. 

Okay, I’ve enthused a lot about the worldbuilding and all that, but I really think what made this book for me was the character work. All these lead characters are so awful and I love them. This is one of those books where the leads toe the line between villain and hero. Also, if you don’t like villain leads, you should probably not read this. Lol.

One of the things I really liked about this book is that the lead character doesn’t prioritize the survival of other people over herself. In a lot of fiction I’ve read with these vibes, the leads are something I’d like to call Unrealistically Good. Not to shit on unrealistically self-sacrificing people, but people do not tend to be willing to risk their lives for others at the drop of a hat. Nita, by contrast, is out for herself. And it’s not even what makes her an antihero!! She’s a total antihero, don’t get me wrong, but I think this book really understands the general human impulse to save your own skin [haha. Skin.]. Instead of prioritizing normal morals, this book puts the emphasis on a personal moral code, and the lines we refuse to cross so we do not lose our humanity. Nita is willing to kill and dismember and dissect, but she has lines. 

Oh, and Nita? I love Nita. I would die for Nita. Her character development is incredibly excellent. And also Kovit is… a character. I can’t spoil shit but I love them and I also really like a certain side character and I am so here for it.

Oh, and this book in general was pretty twisty, but there was also this one twist in this book that I think might have been the end of my brain. I guess plot twists a lot but this was just… fucking wild, I feel like I should have guessed it and I did not at all. I need the second book immediately. @Rebecca Schaeffer where are you give me the fucking second book I need this

I guess if I were to critique this, I would say that the writing is a bit… fanfictiony? I don’t know, man, it’s a debut and it happens. 

Anyway, you should read this. It is so fucked up and the lead and love interest are both so terrible and it scared me shitless and it is the BEST.
TW: so much body horror, sadism.

#NetGalley #NotEvenBones #MustReadYA2018
I had extremely high expectations for this book after reading several things about it over last several months. I was super exicited to get an E-Arc copy of this book! Not Even Bones is just as great as I thought it would be. It is a very dark story with fascintating creatures. The magic in the book is creepy and gives a great atmosphere to the plot. It is a series so there will be a second book. The plot twists and turns pulling the reader further into the unusal world that Rebecca Schaeffer wields. Don't skip this novel it is amazing!

A gripping and devourable story that gleefully inverts every expectation and deploys gore unflinchingly but with precision. And lurking underneath is a clear-sighted, thinky edge as sharp as Nita's scalpel, asking pointed questions about what exactly makes a monster and who among us can claim the moral high ground. NEXT BOOK, PLZ, I NEED IT.

This was dark and creepy and twisty. At some point you'll think "surely this book won't go there" and surprise! it will go so much further! I'm so glad a book like this exists in the world (or will on September 4th - go preorder it now or request it at your local library, just saying). I pretty much instantly fell in love with the monster girl of my heart, Nita, and I also fell a little bit (or maybe a lot) in love with Kovit. I was captivated from page one and I didn't even take a break - I finished this without once putting it down. It feels a little weird to say this book was a delight, but I had a really great time reading it. I really hope we'll be getting more stories in this world (I'm pretty sure we are but if we aren't, MAKE IT HAPPEN)!

Wow, this book… it was deliciously dark. Schaeffer brings readers into a tantalizing world where supernatural beings called unnaturals roam the earth and are mistrusted by the rest of the humans. Some of them are benign, such as fluffy dacts that are kept as pets, while some are dangerous, such as unicorns that suck the souls of virgins or kappas that eat human organs. Our main character, Nita, was raised by a mother that hunts down these terrifying unnaturals, leaving her to dissect them and sell on the black market. It’s kind of a family business, until Nita gets into trouble. From then on, the plot begins as she descends into a dark path where rules are loosened and morals painted gray.

Nita loves dissecting. Some people like to run off their stress, some people listen to rain. Nita dissects as a stress-relief. It’s her passion and future. And so far, it’s worked to the advantage of the family business. While Nita’s mother brings back dangerous unnaturals to dissect and sell on the black market, she dreams of going to college and becoming a biology researcher. However, one day her mother brings back a boy who looks so normal and harmful. Nita can’t stand the thought of dissecting him WHILE ALIVE, and thus saves him by helping him run away. This doesn’t sit well with Nita’s mom, and Nita feels the full force of her punishment when she finds herself drugged and stolen to the Death Market in the jungles along the Amazon River. 

This book travels along Latin America, as the settings we see are where the authorities cannot take down the black market. Nita’s straightforward narrative is grim, morbid, but also realistic. Money makes the world go round, and that’s how these black market dealers in the unnaturals can hold both authorities and politicians in their sway. While Nita is imprisoned to be sold at the Death Market, she meets various characters that she doesn’t know if she can trust. One of these is Kovit, who may become either an unlikely ally or solid enemy. He’s a zanny, a sadistic unnatural from Thailand whose species takes pleasure in other people’s pain. While he’s a guard, Nita’s own ability to be able to control her bodily functions both makes her a prime target in the market, as well as her biggest protection.

It FEELS like Nita goes nowhere in this book, as the majority takes place in the Death Market, but a lot of character introspection is going on. Nita pushes the boundaries of her morals as she becomes judge, jury, and executioner. However, this is all for the sake of survival. But does that make it right? There’s also an interesting partnership that MAY be a love interest. It is SO slight, SO new with trust that I can’t even say it’s that. Either way, I really enjoyed the progression of this particular relationship and can’t wait to see where it goes in the sequel. It has, simply, a beautiful and realistic progression.

If you haven’t figured out from the title, NOT EVEN BONES is extremely dark. The atmosphere is reminiscent of Dexter or Hannibal. It’s grisly and does NOT shy away from the details of torture and other macabre acts. I really want to caution readers coming into it, and take note of the trigger/content warnings I’m adding at the end of this review. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted, and the morally gray characters don’t come out of nowhere - a lot of gruesome activities take place in their lives that push them to where they are.

The author mentioned how she wrote this book for the people who are fascinated with villains on-screen, and I really think those readers will REALLY enjoy it. It’s honestly hard to write anti-herxs who you can’t help but root for, but Schaeffer does this wonderfully. Readers follow Nita every step of the way as she begins her dark descent, and I for one am ALL FOR IT. *cheers forever for anti-herxs in YA* Also, can’t miss the opportunity to point out Nita’s criticism or colonialism and the conquistadors of history that basically ruined the land. This is a gal after my own heart.

Step aside, goody-two shoes heroines of Young Adult supernatural stories. We got a new girl in town who finds solace in holding organs and is ready to get pushed to her limits. Nita is an amazing character who struggles with holding rules for her morals. She makes unlikely friendships in the midst of horror and tragedy, all while planning a brilliant escape from her own demise. While NOT EVEN BONES is steeped with blood - of enemies and allies alike - the grisly atmosphere makes it all the more tantalizing. I think the only other time I’ve encountered such an easy-to-root-for anti-heroine in a dark setting is in CRACKED by Eliza Crewe, which I also recommend. There is a dearth of supernatural beings in YA (excluding the numerous paranormal romances out there), and NOT EVEN BONES fills that gap with solid action, beings from all around the world, and a heroine whose growing ambition amps up with every threat. Definitely recommended for readers seeking a refreshing storyline in Young Adult, as well as significant character growth. And oomf - beware that cliffhanger!

Content/Trigger Warnings: sadism, dissections, mention of suicide, deaths, gore, murder, cannibalism, detailed descriptions of torture, LOTS of blood and mutilation

She listens to a disney playlist as she dissects bodies!

Okay, when I first heard about this book, I knew that I had to get my hands on it. Nita comes from a family that sells supernatural beings on the black market. Her mother hunts them down and Nita dissects them. She’s always been okay with this set up. Her whole idea of if she didn’t see it then she couldn’t help, being what kept her guilt free for the last couple of years. Until her mother brings home someone who is still very much alive and Nita can’t do it. Then to make matters worse, she ends up on the black market herself to be sold.

I wanted to take my time reading this book. I love this new thing of having characters who aren’t really ‘good’. They are morally gray and I’m living for them. Nita tries so hard to find reasons as to why things are okay to do and why some things aren’t and they are so messed up, that I love it. The writing feels so effortless to me, which made my whole plan to read this slowly fly out the window. Within a day, I was slowly creeping up towards that halfway mark because I didn’t want to do anything else except read this book.

This is dark, like really dark. Characters morals are questioned every second, especially Nita’s and I loved every moment of it. The descriptions in this book made me shudder because it was gross, and then made me smile like some sort of psychopath because whenever she thought about being able to cut into bodies just seemed to make up for all the horror she was going through. Fight horror with horror right? I can’t properly explain why I loved this book so much, other than the fact that I obviously like dark, gruesome things (especially when it comes to young girls doing them and defying what society thinks of them).

I wasn’t expecting the twist for this story. It became so much bigger than what I thought and then it ended in a cliff hanger and I don't even know what to do with myself anymore.