Mistress of Bones, Maria Z. Medina
Mistress of Bones, Maria Z. Medina
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Mistress of Bones

Author: Maria Z. Medina

Series: Mistress of Bones #1

Narrator: Ana Osorio

Unabridged: 11 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/05/2025


Synopsis

"Like stepping into one of my favorite RPGs." - Susan Dennard, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series

An epic, multi-POV debut fantasy perfect for fans of The Bone Shard Daughter and Six of Crows, where a necromancer trying to resurrect her sister gets embroiled in bigger, world-ending plans instead

Necromancer Azul del Arroyo only wants one thing: to steal her sister back from Death by reclaiming her sister’s bones. But the Emissary of the Lord Death will do anything to stop her, no matter how alluring he finds her . . .

As their paths collide, they’re drawn into a deadly game of pawns and power with a count who begrudgingly works for a child king, a faceless witch who transforms the bones of gods into dreams she can peddle, and a long-lost half-brother with a secret of his own—and soon realize the fate of the lands is hanging in the balance.

For long ago the gods raised the continents, binding them with their own bones to keep humanity alive. But in an era when the gods’ sacrifice has been forgotten, Death might not be the only resentful god Azul must defy.

Swashbuckling, grand, and tragically romantic, Mistress of Bones is a can't-miss start to a duology about love, loss, and, of course, death.

A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books

About Maria Z. Medina

Born and raised in Spain, Maria Z. Medina loves everything speculative and fantasy. She is a writer and an avid video game player who discovered the joy of making up stories at a young age, aided by her grandmother’s love for books and sci-fi/fantasy TV shows. Her short fiction has appeared in various fantasy and science-fiction publications.


Reviews

Goodreads review by zara on April 09, 2025

may god save me from books with interesting and promising premises but shitty executions in the future......more

Goodreads review by Nilufer on August 08, 2025

A dark, bone-chilling fantasy with gorgeous ideas, but I struggled to connect I wanted so badly to love this one — with necromancy, gods, a grieving sister, a deadly island, and magic systems steeped in death and sacrifice, Mistress of Bones had a setup that absolutely screamed my name. It promised e......more

Goodreads review by Chloe on October 23, 2024

This book is freaking amazing. Fragments of characters and timeline are put together to create a collective whole, and it is such a unique way to tell a story that works out incredibly well. Plus, it has a romance between a necromancer and an emissary of death, which was unhinged and brilliant and ma......more

Goodreads review by Maeghan 🦋 HIATUS on & off on February 22, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and authors for this ARC. Sadly, this is a DNF for me at 56%. I have to call it quits. The description for this reminded me of one of my favourite reads so I couldn’t pass it up. I was left feeling rather underwhelmed by this read. I think the beginning of this......more

Goodreads review by jenny reads a lot on July 25, 2025

I absolutely loved this book’s concept, its characters and story. The prose was lush and beautiful. But the multiple timeline and POV shifts made it really hard to follow the story. I felt confused for nearly the whole book and I’m actually still a little confused, if I’m being honest. I think this......more


Quotes

Book Riot, "Blockbuster YA Releases for Early 2025"

"This debut fantasy from author Maria Z. Medina invites readers to a world of floating continents, absent gods, flashing rapiers, and swashbuckling adventure. Using flashbacks and multiple POVs, Medina tells the story of Azul del Arroyo, a modest young necromancer who just wants to bring her sister back from the dead. Look for lots of atmospheric tragedy and romance, with a love interest who happens to be the Emissary of the Lord Death." - Goodreads, "Hot Ones: Readers' 80 Most Anticipated New Summer Books"

Mistress of Bones is a breath of fresh air, with richly layered worldbuilding, complex social dynamics, and morally grey characters you can’t help but root for. Intricately plotted, the enemies-to-lovers romance between Azul del Arroyo and Virel Enjul is spectacular—the tension and chemistry absolutely drips off the page. A masterful debut!” – Keshe Chow, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Girl with no Reflection

"Mistress of Bones features the bold, complex world-building I love most in fantasy. It felt like stepping into one of my favorite RPGs—so many rich details to discover on each page. Not to mention, plenty of characters to root for." – Susan Dennard, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series

"Bone magic, rapier duels, and fickle gods–Mistress of Bones is a masterclass in worldbuilding, with a setting that is wholly original and deliciously atmospheric, and characters that will steal your heart." – Genoveva Dimova, author of Foul Days

"Mistress of Bones is a richly imagined, high stakes fantasy steeped in intrigue, magic, myth, and necromancy. From the memorable cast to the lush worldbuilding, I couldn't put this book down." – Rati Mehrotra, author of Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove

"Mistress of Bones' rich storytelling pulls you into a wholly imaginative world filled with an engrossing cast of characters. I can’t help but applaud this ambitious tale of gods and magic, of secrets and betrayals, and of a girl fighting against all odds to save her sister from Death himself.” – Jasmine Skye, author of Daughter of the Bone Forest

"Medina's thoughtful, beautiful prose paints a lushly-imagined fantasy world that utterly entranced me. Readers will be quick to fall under the spell of this spooky yet swashbuckling debut." – Andrea Tang, author of These Deadly Prophecies

"With evocative worldbuilding, biting prose, and an intriguing cast of characters, Mistress of Bones is a transportive dark fantasy readers will eagerly devour." – Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace and This Cursed Light