Day 26 of #PrideLibrary20.
Today’s blog post is a guest post by the amazing Lauren @ Northern Plunder, I know Lauren as a British blogger and bookstagrammer in the bookish community. Lauren is the ultimate fantasy reader, her Instagram is packed full of gorgeous photos of a variety of novels from Other Words For Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin to The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho. If you’re in need of fantasy novel recommendations, just take a look at Lauren’s Instagram! Lauren’s blog Northern Plunder is a mix of reviews, blog tours and discussion posts, head on over there and give her a follow.
One of Lauren’s favourite authors is Rin Chupeco, sadly I have only read Wicked as you Wish by Rin Chupeco so far, but as they are a queer Asian author the rest of their novels are very high on my TBR! Lauren has very kindly agreed to write a piece explaining five reasons as why you (and me) should read The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco, so it’s over to Lauren:
First of all, thank you to Hâf for inviting me to write a guest post for Pride Month. Especially about a series and author I’d happily scream about daily. Also, thank you to Imi @ Beyond A Bookshelf for being a great inspiration for this piece and encouraging me that yes it is possible to narrow down my love for this series.
For anyone who doesn’t know, The Bone Witch is a completed fantasy trilogy which follows Tea after she accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead. Rin Chupeco is a nonbinary author from the Philippines and has also written The Girl from the Well duology, The Never Tilting World duology, and A Hundred Names for Magic series.
In the captivating start to a new, darkly lyrical fantasy series, Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price.When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles and make a powerful choice.
So here we go… 5 Reasons to Read The Bone Witch:
Who would I be if I didn’t start with the reason that made me pick up this series? Whilst there is a distrust towards the Dark Asha (necromancers) within the books, Rin never actually portrays them as evil which is what I truly loved. Instead they explore why there is a distrust in this world, how they’re being relied upon, but also how they’re lied to.
The life of a Dark Asha is a heavy path to walk, but it’s not one you can choose. The magic system within this series is one you’re born with, and those with access to the Dark are few. This is what provides Tea point of view to be an exceptional one, especially as she’s such a strong and bright character.
2. Hate to Love Romance
Honestly this one is entirely Imi’s reason. I absolutely adore the Hate to Love Romance within TBW, it’s so beautifully crafted and impossible to not root for the couple. However, I’m not someone who actually pays attention to any tropes very well! Whenever anyone asks my favourite I get a bit stunned and never know what to reply.
But for Imi and everyone else who is out there craving a Hate to Love Romance, then yes, this is 110% for you. There is so much angst and fighting with little jabs at each other. The banter is so much fun.
3. Great Queer Rep Across the Spectrum
Throughout the trilogy there are many LGBT+ characters. They all fit seamlessly into the story, just like in everyday life. A key character arc is them coming to terms with their gender which was such a heartwarming read and exploration over the books. Rin is also non-binary so you don’t need to worry about this being handled incorrectly.
4. Incredible Friendship Across the Board
A whole lot of this story is wrapped within incredible friendships. It creates some wonderful found family bonds but also Tea’s bond with her brother is never forgotten either. The two are always mindful of each other, giving them space and protection as and when is needed. Additionally seeing all the found family friendships bloom and grow over the trilogy is wonderful.
5. Alternating Timeline (past/present with storytelling)
Finally, I really can’t talk about my love for The Bone Witch without addressing the alternating timeline. It’s told with a chapter in the past then one in the present with storytelling from a bard. The two are intertwined, reflecting, and expanding upon each other – it really is something beautiful. This method of telling Tea’s story is honestly one of the most beautiful things about it, as when coming to the end of the trilogy we’re essentially given two great endings.
Thank you so much Lauren for taking the time to create this amazing list of reasons to read The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco, I am now even more excited to read this trilogy. Don’t you just love it when a series is already completed too? No waiting!
Have you read The Bone Witch? Is it on your TBR?
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