Her character development is incredibly excellent. Nita is willing to kill and dismember and dissect, but she has lines. 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. 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.

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. In a lot of fiction I’ve read with these vibes, the leads are something I’d like to call Unrealistically Good. 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. Also, if you don’t like villain leads, you should probably not read this. This is one of those books where the leads toe the line between villain and hero. All these lead characters are so awful and I love them. 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. There’s also some discussion of eugenics-ish politics, which as some of you may know is something I’m super passionate about. With a lead cast of almost entirely characters of color, it’s a very interesting read. 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. 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. I never knew what was coming next - all I knew was that I was desperate to find out.Īnd better yet, this book features some seriously cool worldbuilding.

It's almost a thriller and almost an urban fantasy book and either way, it's so fun to read. So first of all, this book is impossible to put down and so addicting. 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. 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. This is a deeply fucked up book, in a good way. the 'Dexter meets This Savage Song' comparison really encapsulates this? This was not the most well-written thing I have ever read but I really really enjoyed my time reading it.

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer