Hills of Heather and Bone (2023)
Hills of Heather and Bone by K.E. Andrews
Find out more here: Goodreads.
A deeply emotional story about a very realistic and loving couple fighting to find a place of peace and existence.
This book held me a bit in a choke-hold. As always, I dove straight into it without even reading the synopsis, simply relying on the vibe of the cover and what I've heard people say about it.
What first hooked me was the use of flowers in the chapter heads (yeah, sounds stupid, I know) listing emotional properties of the flower chosen. As an aspiring herbalist I was intrigued! Then, the MC performed some semi-necromantic bone whispering stuff on the first few pages and I was pretty hooked.
The story that followed was an emotional, gritty, and angsty fight for survival and existence. A story intertwined with love and musings about life featuring a married couple deeply devoted to each other. There are big highs and deep lows, struggles of communication, dealing with emotional (shared) trauma, and sharing of dreams and hopes for the future. It was beautiful to read and a relief to - for once - have a healthy (even if at times troublesome) and loving couple.
The Sunshine x Grump trope is in full flow but done in such a beautiful, natural way that I really connected with. The MC isn't grumpy, she's melancholic, and as someone who has a habit of wallowing in her own emotions, I felt very seen on the pages.
The world-building was fascinating and I particularly enjoyed the Boneweaver "gift" of talking to the dead. The world gave me vibes of Celtic mythology and the travel descriptions felt like walking around the Scottish highlands. (I could be completely wrong, I've not looked up more detail of the author or inspiration).
Though at times I did have to drag myself through the chapters, it wasn't for the lack of interest in the story, but from the hardship of the pages. The MC's angst is dripping between the words and the author doesn't allow much relief which feels real and right for the story, but does leave you on a heavier emotional aspect.
There is a wonderful happy ending though and a sweet conclusion in the epilog.
For readers who want something romantic that isn't a romance, something real that's still in another world, and something gritty that isn't full of blood.
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