Blood Metal Bone: An epic new fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo

‘Blood Metal Bone surprises you in the very best ways. Unique world-building, a bold heroine with a heartbreaking past, and awe-inspiring magic that simply cannot be caged.’ Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
A DEADLY OUTCAST
A DANGEROUS SECRET
ONE EPIC QUEST FOR THE TRUTH
Wrongly accused of her brother’s murder, Sonara’s destiny was to die, sentenced to execution by her own mother. Punished and left for dead, the shadows have cursed her with a second life as a Shadowblood, cast out and hunted by society for her demon-like powers.
Now known as the Devil of the Deadlands, Sonara survives as a thief on the edge of society, fighting for survival on a quest to uncover what really happened to her brother and whether he is even dead at all…
Blood Metal Bone is the gripping new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lindsay Cummings. This is the perfect adrenaline-packed read for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, The Mandalorian and Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series.
‘A skilful blend of fantasy and science fiction, full of twists and turns, and sure to thrill fans of both.’ Jay Posey, author of Every Sky A Grave
‘A dark, twisting tale with an incredible cast of characters immersed in a richly detailed world I couldn’t get enough of.’ KayLynn Flanders, author of Shielded\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 9 Up-On the small dwarf planet of Dohrsar, Sonara is the illegitimate daughter of the queen. One day her brother and best friend, Soahm, is abducted by a mysterious spaceship. With Sonara as the only witness, the queen doesn't believe Sonara's story, and wrongfully sentences Sonara to death for killing Soahm. Sonara comes back from the dead as a Shadowblood with the newfound power to sense others' emotions and auras. She joins a ragtag group of Shadowblood outlaws who embark on a quest to prevent a powerful rock called Antheon from getting into the wrong hands. Their mission is thwarted, however, when Sonara spots the same spaceship that abducted Soahm. Consumed with finding him, she interrogates and subsequently kills Karr, a member of the ship's crew. This sets off a chain of events that results in many Dohrsarans being imprisoned and forced to mine Antheon. Karr is reborn as a Shadowblood and joins forces with Sonara and her friends to free the Dohrsarans. Most of the characters are purposely unlikable, albeit three-dimensional. Throughout, Sonara is referred to as the Devil, although her unremarkable powers will leave readers perplexed about the nickname and her notoriety. The betrayals and plot twists at the end fail to redeem the novel from the slow-moving plot. Sonara's and Karr's ethnicities are not stated. VERDICT With a convoluted plot that is slow to unfold, this story is unlikely to motivate readers to read to the end.-Candyce Pruitt-Goddardα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.