Loud as Bones

Haunting. Dark. Beautiful.🩸A romance so dark, it's almost black as the night the main characters surround themselves with. There's something about the way Woods writes that enthralls you from the start, that makes you feel the beauty in the pain. That makes the world not seem so dark, even as it's decaying right before your eyes. Her words are so poetic, the world painted in such a way that you can't help but submerge yourself so completely in the depths of despair and beg for more. You keep reading, hoping there's a light at the end of the tunnel but if you're a fan of any of her other works you know that a HEA isn't guaranteed so you're kept on your toes from the first page to the last. I absolutely loved the ending of Loud As Bones, as much as I loved the rest of it. From the very beginning, you're thrust straight into the life of Iris. Depicted so clearly it's as if you're transported into the very pages carrying her, as if you've become her. Her captors cruelty knows no bounds and their reign of terror seemingly had no end in sight and yet despite that, the smallest parts of me felt for both of them in their own way. Villains with such complexity you were left dangling from the ceiling wondering which way was up. As a long time fan of DG Woods, I can honestly say that Loud As Bones is not only my favourite of her works but an absolute masterpiece work of fiction. Thank you for giving me so many unique worlds to dive into head first. Please, don't ever stop. 🦴 *ARC Review however all opinions are entirely my own.

As soon as I finished it, I had to pick up the next book by D.G. Woods. Loud as Bones is a quick read, but absolutely packed with character and incredible atmosphere, through prose that is able to manipulate the reader in the same way our protagonist is manipulated and twisted by the home invaders. Even though we can fully grasp the absolute horror of this situation and have no doubts that what these people are doing is pure evil (even when getting to know their histories) we start to buy into their actions. It's a true feat of writing ability to not cross that line in trivializing the horror going on for a sensationalized adult material, and D.G. Woods achieves it. The story never shies away from the corruption going on, because that's what it shows it as: a troubled and hurt woman being pushed over the edge. This does not validate violence toward others because of past trauma; it is an honest look at someone crumbling under the weight of it and eventually giving in and being a part of the system that molded her. Loud as Bones is dark, poetic, gory, and manipulatively sensual, and the perfect start to spooky season reading.

The writing was lyrical, but it often felt so focused on the prose that the story became disjointed and the momentum suffered. I also struggled to connect with the main character, whose emotions and motivations felt underdeveloped.

I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author. I sat down to start this, and ended up finishing it in a single sitting. It reminded me of a Dowry Of Blood in a way. But ooh this writing style is so good

Escrita e história precisa de melhoramento.

Um yes. Read this book. At first, I wasn't sure if it was for me, but I'm so glad I kept reading. DG does not disappoint. Its gory, mysterious, and the twist and turns keep you guessing.

Iris’ life as she knows it is decimated when two impossibly deadly intruders enter the isolated estate she shares with her girlfriend in the middle of the night. Killing her girlfriend is only the first course of terror they will inflict upon her in the long months to come. This book is 150 pages of despair with no relief so strap in. It’s literally my worst nightmare (home invasion) but make it vampires. 🧛‍♂️ Gunnar and Ophelia have all the classic vamp traits we reach for these stories for - sadism, cruelty, insatiable thirsts both for blood and each other - and this story focuses on their psychological (among other forms of) torture of Iris. The pair initially appear as an impenetrable front but I absolutely loved how the further Gunnar’s character was explored, it exposed the power imbalance between him and Ophelia, who is also not who she seems. All three main characters are incredibly well fleshed out and none of their individual arcs are sacrificed to further the plot/the other characters which I REALLY appreciate. The title, Loud as Bones, refers to a room of skulls Gunnar has lugged around for centuries, each belonging to a companion he has outlived, and Iris finds they have ability to communicate with her not that they have anything good to say. I absolutely LOVED this concept and the unique take on what human souls can attach to when their life ends. No spoilers but the epilogue I- 🫢 This novella is genuinely stunning to read!! It swallowed me whole with the rich the atmosphere was, I could smell that forsaken rotting house!! 😷

Wow, wow, wow. This is the 3rd ARC book I’ve received from DG Woods and I am absolutely floored. This book was terrifying and beautiful. Very well written, exploring the meaning of what it means to truly love and be loved, but also how loneliness can drive people to do mad things. With spooky season right around the corner this is the perfect book to get you in the mood. Thank you again DG Woods for blessings us again with an amazing book! Can’t wait for the next one !

Loud as Bones is a haunting, gothic vibes, unique vampire story. Iris loses the love of her life to two vampires and becomes their plaything, trapped in the house she shared with her partner. The rooms are filled with bones and the house reeks of death, blood, and despair. The skulls in the house carry memories though and as Iris is spiraling with the life she has to live now and what she's becoming, she can hear the bones speaking to her, telling their story. The story is fairly short but beautifully written and absolutely captivating. There was just enough gore to make the story entertaining without making it gruesome. I actually thought that she was going to end up with Gunnar so the twist caught me really off guard. I loved the way this ended, with Iris and Sylvie's bones. The story was unique and unlike any vampire story I've read before. If you want something dark with gothic vibes and an unsettling, eerie feel.. definitely give this one a read!!

omg. OMG. i haven’t read anything this deeply uncomfortable, depraved, and violent in a hot minute. gothic house. decay, melancholy, death, destruction, praying to false gods or a God not believed in. it’s erotic but cruel. it’s disjointed love and cruel lust. the cutting and taking of blood can be (and should be) a euphemism for sexual violence. some lovely moments of prose right alongside some heavy handed purple. female rage. feminist horror. obsession and oppression. self destruction and self discovery. UNHINGED WOMEN. womanhood. loved this, adored this. content & trigger warnings: ★~ cw/tw // can be seen as spoilers abandonment, abuse, amputation, animal cruelty/death, anxiety, blood, body horror, cannibalism, cheating, confinement, drowning, gore, grief, grooming, injury, rape (mention and on page), sexual assault, suicidal ideation, torture, violence, vomit, toxic relationship