This was a better read than I thought. Reminded me of the movie Sliding Doors...except with magic. On the day that was supposed to lead her down a path, not of her choosing, turns into a split future, timelines that will eventually smash together. Saskia the Tudor doesn't know if her reality will continue or if her "other" life path will take over. The way the author weaves the two stories with many twists and turns, with the two timelines coming together (no spoilers!) was surprising. How she managed to keep the flow of the two stories going was a testament to her writing. Both versions of Saski were fighters, women who were determined to "choose" their own destinies. The tension reflected in both timelines drove the storylines, making the reader turn the pages faster, although I didn't want it to end! ( )

I absolutely loved this from beginning to end! The plot-twists are so good, and I like the somewhat strained relationship between Saksia and her mother. That woman really loves her beneath the iciness. In addition, I enjoyed the tattoos with different meanings and bone abilities. Major spoiler: and this book had the guts to kill off Saskia in the alternate timeline. whoa! it felt like a bad ending in a videogame. I'm impressed.

I'm eager for book 2! ( )

Bones help determine the fates of young people - and Saskia is lucky enough to the be daughter of the resident Bone Charmer. But she wants a different fate than the one her mother chooses and an accident with the bones leads to two different paths. I liked that there was a mystery going on - who was the bad guy? what was the hidden agenda? and how did it all tie into Saskia's dual lives. I enjoyed the journey. ( )

Literary Merit: Great
Characterization: Great
Grade Level: High School
Recommended: Yes

Saskia never wanted to be a Bone Charmer (someone who uses bone magic to see the future, past, or present), so when she is destined by fate at a kenning ceremony to follow that path she lashes out, breaking one of her Gran's bones that told her fate. With the splitting of the bone, Saskia's path is broken into two and each path takes her through separate vocations and different love matches. As long as the bone is broken, though, Saskia is not safe. It must be mended to ensure that one of the paths continues on to fulfill her destiny.

I really loved the writing in "The Bone Charmer." The imagery and emotion that Shields evokes is rich and captivating. I love the world and the concept of bone magic. Truthfully, I would have been a happy reader if she chose to only follow the path of "Saskia the Bone Charmer" and explore life at the Ivory Hall, fleshing out just that path and nixing the entire parallel universe concept completely.

As it stands, the two paths are clear and easy to follow for the majority of the book. In the later chapters the two paths start to become intertwined and it's more challenging to keep track of who did what and where. I imagined that this was the author bringing the two paths together with the goal of them fusing, just like the broken bone, but this was not the case.

The only real issue I take with this book is the ending. It wasn't bad. I just hoped that it would go a certain way (the two paths coming together) but it went a different way (one path ending and another carrying on), This is a personal issue and not a reflection of the character of the book. I would definitely recommend this title. ( )

So very impressed with this book! It took me a few chapters to really settle into the way that Breeana Shields wanted to tell this story, but once I was there I was hooked. Saskia's life has has always been dictated by bone reading. Each moment painstakingly created so that she'll stay on the path to her happiest life. That is, until it's her turn to find her true calling. I can't remember if I knew that this book was about to split into two stories, or not, but I can tell you that it's a wonderful way to navigate Saskia's journey.

First off, let me be the first to assure you that there is no love triangle in The Bone Charmer. You have no idea how happy that made me, since that's one of my pain points in YA lately. Instead, there are two very seperate romances here. As Saskia's life splits off, one road leading to what she believed she wanted and one road leading to what her mother believed was best for her, these two romances grow in very different ways. I absolutely loved how Shields doesn't shy away from putting Saskia through all manner of trials. As she follows each of these paths, she learns more and more about herself, her mother, and the two boys who she has been matched two. The idea that we don't always know what is best for us, even if we are so sure of it, is heavily featured in this story. It's perfection.

It's honestly tough to say too much more about the plot without giving anything important away, so I'll start focusing on the world building instead. In Saskia's world, as I mentioned above, bone readings are part of life. Matches, both with jobs and with romantic partners, are an essential part of a person's future. It was fascinating watching the way that this played out, in a place like Midwood. Much like our own world, the people with the most money always seemed to have an advantage over those who were poorer. The fact that Saskia's mother, the bone charmer herself, was so upset about that made me smile. This book speaks of "wild magic" and how it used to grow without monetary interference. As I found my way through Saskia's story I saw how that could both help, and hurt, a civilization. There's a lot of deep thoughts in this book, hidden in a way that almost makes them invisible. I loved every minute of it.

Was this book perfect? Perhaps not. There were a lot of things I wished for more of. I wanted more time with Saskia's potential matches. I would have loved more background on Saskia's family, and especially on her amazing mother. While the magic system was fairly well fleshed out, I also wished there would have been more time spent with Saskia as she learned to grow her abilities. I do believe that this is the first book in a series though, so I have hope! There's still time for all of this to become a reality.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my read through of this book! I'd recommend it to those out there who love "sliding doors" stories, and are looking for something without a love triangle. You might just enjoy it as much as I did. ( )