3.5 stars? Maybe?

Masquerade of Bones follows Everly Thorn, a witch cursed with the ability to hear the whispers of the bones of dead dragons and other magical beasts. She's keeping her powers hidden, reeling from her parents' murder and a broken engagement to the crown prince, while drowning in gambling debts. When infamous outlaw Silas Drake discovers her secret, he blackmails her into helping him steal a powerful relic—and Everly is forced to choose between protecting her brother and striking back at those who want to control her.

This book left me feeling... very conflicted. There were things I really enjoyed and others that drove me a bit up the wall.

Let's start with the tropes: we've got your typical brooding, dark-haired, shadow-wielding love interest (Silas) who's rude at first but of course devastatingly attractive. We've got the strong, angry, badass main female character (Everly) who's flawed in ways that sometimes made her hard to follow. And of course, the blonde ex who's a prince (Gideon) as a sort-of-but-not-really second love interest who's basically just there to be jealous. The romance leans heavily on instant attraction. Even when Silas literally chokes her, Everly can't stop thinking about his tattoos and muscles. Girl, I get it, but maybe... be mad about that first?

The magic system is one of the coolest parts! The use of relics with specific limitations and rules adds depth, and the lore surrounding witches and their sickness is genuinely fascinating. I just wish it had been explained more. Some aspects are mentioned without much context or explanation. It felt like the foundations were there but not fully explored.

Character-wise, I struggled. I couldn't really tell who was supposed to be "good" or "bad," and Everly's loyalties shifted so often it felt inconsistent rather than complex. Her impulsiveness makes sense for her character, but it got frustrating. Silas, on the other hand, is mostly just hot, flirty, and a jerk. He spends a lot of time thinking he's a monster, but I couldn't figure out what he actually wants or why he acts the way he does. Buuut around the 60% mark, their chemistry finally clicked for me, and surprisingly, I ended up liking them together by the end!

The second love interest, though, was a nonstarter. He barely appears and when he does, he’s just another jealous guy. Honestly, almost every major male character treated Everly poorly... except for one minor male character who was an absolute sweetheart (more of him, please!). On the bright side, I did like most of the female characters.

The beginning was decent (good setup, solid writing), but the plot dragged a bit, especially since some early plot points were abandoned later. The middle slowed down, and the whole direction of the story shifted very suddenly. But once I adjusted, I got pretty invested. And the ending? Genuinely surprising! I couldn't put it down by that point, even if the writing felt a bit rushed and I wish we got more closure on some plot threads.

Overall, I feel torn. There were a lot of rough edges (uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, clunky dialogue), but there’s also real potential here! The world is intriguing, the ending was strong, and I’m honestly curious to see what happens next.

This is a great romantasy book! While there are some more romance-y elements at the end, it's definitely a slow burn - very little spice until >80% of the way through. It's book 1 in a series, though, so I'd imagine there's more spice to come.

The FMC is refreshing - fierce, smart, and not willing to take any crap from anyone. You get the sense that there might be more to her, maybe more than even she knows, but you don't learn too much about any surprises in this book. Her interaction with both her ex-betrothed (the prince) and the dark and mysterious man she is bound to is fun to watch - at times it feels like it might become a "why choose" since they both have chemistry with her, but there are also some secrets to her mystery man that we don't learn much about here, so it will be interesting to see how that unfolds in the coming book.

I loved the fantasy parts of the plot too - I felt like I was right in the action, and the story didn't get bogged down with excessive detail like some fantasy books do. I could vividly imagine the characters and what was happening without needing the 1000-year history of some obscure species of elf or something - much, much appreciated.

Overall a great read, and I'm looking forward to the sequel!

Magic and dragons and vengeance OH MY! Love this standalone. A bit of spice and violence to feed your romantasy soul. And a little twist on the basic fae realm we are all kind of used to reading by now. Very enjoyable!!

Great read, about a witch trying to save herself and her brother, who makes deal with a man, or is he just a man.
If you like the supernatural this is for you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review

Masquerade of Bones is a darkly enchanting fantasy that dives headfirst into a world of forbidden magic, dangerous secrets, and a protagonist fighting tooth and nail for her independence. Everly is a wonderfully complex character. Burdened by grief, debt, and a cursed ability, she's far from a damsel in distress. Her cynicism is earned, her resourcefulness sharp, and her determination to forge her own path resonates deeply.
Silas Drake is the perfect foil to Everly's cautious nature. A notorious outlaw with a shadowed past, he embodies danger and intrigue. While the "bad boy" trope might feel familiar, Hintz gives Silas enough depth and vulnerability to make him more than just a caricature. His motivations are complex, and his interactions with Everly are charged with tension, creating a compelling enemies-to-lovers dynamic.
Hintz crafts a compelling world, rich with captivating lore and intriguing magical systems. The Menagerie of Extinct Magical Creatures provides a macabre and fascinating backdrop, hinting at a history filled with wonder and destruction.
Overall, I highly recommend for anyone seeking a dark and enchanting escape into a world where magic comes at a cost, and survival depends on embracing the shadows.

While I greatly appreciate the review copy I received, this book ultimately wasn't for me. I find that the "heist" trope can be hard to pull off in a fantasy novel, and this just didn't hit home for me.

I do think it is worth the read though for anyone who is interested in that type of plot!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Everly, our FMC, is a an ex-princess to be with a deadly secret. She's a witch.. but not just any witch, she is a witch that can hear the whispers of relics. In this world, being a witch is punishable by death if you are found to have hidden it, or, punishable by mandatory military recruitment if it is reported when its found. Everly's parents chose to hide her. And when they died, she lost everything.. her prince.. her status.. her home. Enter in our MMC, Silas. Silas is planning a heist and he needs Everly's skills. Tying Everly into the blood oath of her life, they set out to achieve this heist. But beware, not everything is as it seems.

This book was slow burn, but the good kind of slow burn. The kind of slow burn where she hates him and its going to take a lot for him to get anywhere with her. I was all here for the banter. And the process of the creation of found family was just mmmf! This is not a story where the FMC is a pushover. Its not a story where our FMC will roll over. Our FMC is smart.. educated.. witty.. but not a Mary Sue.

The book was well written, with little to no errors. The characters are well fleshed out. The emotional rollercoaster of the story, isn't too intense and neither is it boring. Overall, I couldn't put this book down and read it all in one sitting. I am, however, a liiiiittle mad that this didn't end with a triad/why choose. It had that potential.. it still has that potential.. *looks at author*. But I do understand why it wasn't.. at this point anyway.. We will see how I feel after I devour book 2... There is going to be a book 2 right *stares at author*

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an engaging read! I enjoyed the plot and would read it again.

I liked the concept of this book. The heist was very fun and well written. I also really liked the ballroom scenes, felt slightly YA, but I don't think that is a bad thing.

MASQUERADE OF BONES
J.Ember Hintz
4⭐️
3🌶️

✔️Slow burn
✔️ Witches
✔️ Possessive MMC
✔️ Dangerous quests


Wait till booktok gets their hands on this outstanding novel!!

A blood oath. A botched heist. A dangerous deal with the enemy.

This book had me gripped from the beginning. The chemistry between Everly and Silas was phenomenal! I appreciated that this was a slow burn and my god did it explode like fireworks 🧨
I loved Everly from the start - we see her passion her fears and her strength throughout the book. I would do anything to have Silas call me a “good girl” 🥵 he’s was so possessive, secretive and undeniably loyal!

The world building was remarkable! You are thrown into this world and it’s like you’re right there - proper fly on the wall moment! I found everyone exciting and was drawn into them wanting to find out more about their own stories.

The ending was excellent, I didn’t see the reveal at all. Well done J. Ember Hintz! I can’t wait for book 2!

✨crying now while I’m waiting ✨

A must read in 2025!

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Everly thinks it cannot get much worse for her. She is struggling to make ends meet with her Menagerie wages, drowning in gambling debt, learns that her ex who is a Prince is newly betrothed, and is suffering from a debilitating curse with no cure.

She draws death sketches of witches on execution for some spare change when one day, the dark, broody and annoyingly handsome outlaw Silas steals her sketchbook and ropes her into a blood oath tying their lives together. Looking for a possessive, shadow wielding, morally grey MMC? Look no further.

What ensues is a mission that goes beyond their crew of magic wielders into a northern kingdom where they hope to discover more about a mysterious relic locked away in the dowry of the new Princess.

We get found family here with Silas' crew and the new friends Everly makes on her mission. Intricate world building, a unique magic system with relics worn on the body to grant the wielder with enhanced magic ability, and dragons...need I say more.

The ending will leave you shocked! Cliffhanger alert. Despite all the hints leading up to it, I still did not see that coming!
Seems like there are plans for subsequent books in this series!

Masquerade of Bones
By: J. Ember Hintz
Released: February 25, 2025

I was gifted access to this ebook through @netgalley and as soon as I finished this book, I ordered the physical copy because I had to make sure I owned this book and convinced everyone to read it. So this a real review of a book I needed to own. Yes it is that good! I genuinely have no idea how this book has flown under the radar. I would be shocked if this isn’t in a special edition box once it takes off. Now onto the *no spoilers* review:

We meet Everly when she is at what she *thinks* is the bottom. Bankrupt, running from thugs, orphaned, hiding secrets from her brother and only friend, and cast out of the royal court life. Oh, her employment also sucks, side hustle is morbidly depressing, and her ex fiancee prince is coming back to town after shattering her heart. Not even her stray cat likes her.

Yet, this isn’t her rock bottom after all. Her bottom is when she meets Silas Drake, a villain through and through. This isn’t a morally gray character. His control over her future is absolute, his blood bond demands the betrayal of her last remaining loved ones, and his demands endanger innocent creatures. But when did a FMC ever let a villain win?

This journey is a fantastic blend of magic, mythical creatures, found family, and romance. I won’t spoil it and tell you if Everly’s ex fiancé gets his head out of his behind or Silas makes an abrupt turn around. Just know as the reader, you’ll be feeling the spicy burn of hatred and lust with. There’s also found family, side characters that WILL make you cry (sorry the little warning I will give you) and DRAGONS 🐉.

Stars ✨: 4.5/5 (A little abrupt in the beginning. After it’s a solid 5/5 for me)
Spice 🌶️: 3/5 Listen- hatred is gasoline on this fire. You may have read the words before but not in this combination!
Yearning 💕: 1/5 see above to hatred instead
Redemption: 100/10

A shadow wielding, morally grey MMC? Sign me up!
This was such a good time! The magic system was so unique and the book was so action packed that you didn’t have time to put it down

I need more books like this where the dedication to aftercare was 🫱🏾‍🫲🏼🫡

More people need to read this one!

Updated Review: Finally finished and sooo much to unpack and so much to anticipate in Book 2!

I can say for certainty that Silas Drake should be on everyone's Shadow Daddy of the Year list for 2025. He is everything you could want in a morally grey, possessive, dangerous MMC; someone you definitely want on your side and not to cross blades with in the wrong way. He is always two steps ahead for any plans he creates. I thoroughly enjoy the witty banter between him and Everly and how they both get under each other's skin any time they interact.

As for Everly, I absolutely felt her pain and frustration when having to confront her former lover/betrothed after all that has happened to her. The way she was cast aside basically especially after her parents' death, and then having to confront Gideon for all of the hurt he put her through was like taking a knife to the heart for me. The moment she found out Gideon paid off her debt without him even coming to her first about it just shows he doesn't really know her anymore after all of these years, effectively setting herself up into a deal she can't back out of anymore.

And that plot twist! Drake is a dragon!! It all makes sense now, and it was really a cool way to reveal that secret! I really started to love the side characters of Serin, Bas, and Tiny, so I really hope we get to see more of them in Book 2 and finally figure out more about the dragon egg; which brings me to me next realization- if Drake is a dragon and this is a dragon's egg the was so keen on getting, is he somehow related to this egg??! This better not be a secret dragon love child of his from centuries ago...otherwise I actually really enjoyed how the author took her time with laying out the pieces for the plot and not rushing it too much just to wrap it up for the end of the book. Book 1 definitely ended on quite a cliffhanger so I now have to wait a whole year for Book 2!!

Great book! This is my first time reading this author. I look forward to hearing more about Everly and Silas and how their lives unfold. J. Ember Hintz’s books are going in my TBR pile!

My ARC Review of Masquerade of Bones by J. Ember Hintz

I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Masquerade of Bones, and there’s no doubt this is a bold and imaginative romantasy debut. With cursed magic, dragon relics, and a reluctant alliance between a cursed artist and a notorious outlaw, it hooked me with its premise straight away.

Everly is a compelling lead—snarky, stubborn, and trying to keep her head down despite the chaos that keeps finding her. Her cursed ability to hear the remnants of dead magical creatures was eerie and fascinating, and I loved how it made her both powerful and deeply vulnerable. Silas, the morally grey love interest, definitely gave off classic brooding antihero energy with a dark, dangerous edge. Their dynamic had strong enemies-to-lovers tension, and the banter between them was a highlight for me.

That said, there were moments where the pacing lagged, especially in the first half. The setup took a while to gain momentum, and I occasionally found myself wishing the world-building had been more organically woven into the story—it sometimes leaned toward info-dumping. A few character motivations (particularly from the side cast) felt a bit underdeveloped too, which made some of the emotional stakes fall a little flat.

But when the plot kicks into gear, it really takes off. The heist at the Menagerie, the twists involving the relics, and the slow unraveling of both Everly’s past and Silas’s true intentions were all incredibly satisfying. The ending left just enough unresolved to make me excited for what’s coming next.

Overall, Masquerade of Bones is a dark, magical, and romantic ride with a lot of promise. It’s perfect for fans of morally grey characters, cursed magic, and reluctant partnerships that teeter into something more.

Although an incredibly interesting premise, this unfortunately just didn’t hit the spot for me. I found the main plot to be a little lost in the middle and the ending, although I could see why it went in that direction, it just didn’t quite land the way I would have expected it to.

Masquerade of Bones is a captivating read that combines fantasy, romance, and supernatural mystery. The main character, Everly Thorn, can hear the whispers of dead dragons and magical beasts.
This book is perfect for someone who is looking for a steamy fantasy romance!


Thank you #NetGalley and #Specter Publishing for this ARC!

"The sting is always worse after you've been seduced by the sweet."

I feel as though I am at an utter loss for words to describe how much I loved this book and yet, I find I'm also filled with all the words and seemingly no right way to form them into a complete sentence that expresses my love enough...though that won't stop me from trying.

This book is full of magic and desire, mysteries and adventure and was a complete struggle to have to step away from on the rare moments that required I put it down. 

In the very beginning, I had some sliver of hope for Everly and Gideon. Though it did not take long for me to root for her and the sassy Shadow Daddy that is Silas. Their plithy banter lit a fire in my heart and I couldn't get enough of it, even more so when they turned that heat up and added a little bit of spice to the mix.

The journey to the end was certainly an adventure in itself and as Everly unearthed more secrets during their travel, I continuously found myself having been deceived in the most delicious of ways. And I was nowhere near ready for the plot twist at the very end. Completely unexpected and yet, in retrospect, it makes so much sense. 

I cannot wait to get my hands on tbe next book in this series and I have so many questions I hope to have answered when the next book arrives: What kind of witch exactly is Everly? Is there a way for her to escape the burning? Why is she seeing ghosts? Is she Silas' mate? Is he the dragon the first Krimore king befriended? Does he know the dragon whose egg they are in possession of? If the dragons were thought to be extinct but aren't, does that mean some other creatures, like the Thunderbird, could potentially still be around too?

In my impatience for book two, which is thankfully slated for Spring 2026, I will be diving into this author's other books in an attempt to satiate my desperate need for more of Silas and Everly's story. I have no doubts they will be equally as wonderful and easy to fall in love with as this was. 

A huge thank you both to NetGalley and Specter Publishing for this amazing ARC and to J. Ember Hintz for writing such a beautifully enchanting tale.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 🌶️

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book! It had me hooked from the dedication and every day, I was excited to read this. In this story we follow Everly and Silas who are bounded by a blood oath. During their time together, they form a bond but not one they were expecting. You can feel how much Everly wants to hate Silas but a part of her inside is drawn to him.

The plot was INCREDIBLE and definitely had me squealing at certain points. I laughed, I was shocked and oh my god THE ENDING!! I was so so happy with how you left it. I was looking at the percentage praying that it wasn’t going to be cliffhanger and you made me cheer with joy. I am so excited for book two to be released in 2026!