Ivory and Bone has a great plot with a unique setting. It’s a little bit of role reversal Pride and Prejudice with some crazy twist.Ivory and Bone (Ivory and Bone #1)
by Julie Eshbaugh
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: June 7th 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Retellings, Fiction
A prehistoric fantasy—with allusions to Pride and Prejudice.
Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe—that’s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless—and nearly grave—mistake. However, there’s something more to Mya’s cool disdain…a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya’s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives.
As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he’s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo—Kol doesn’t know which—had been planning all along.
I loved the unique setting! Wow, it’s not with dinosaurs but it has mammoths and the melting ice age. The imagery is so vivid that every time I read I felt like I was there. I love when a story has a small world but the details in the world are vast. Julie Eshbaugh describes each clans tribe in such a great detail. Including their origin stories, traditions and religious beliefs of the divine. You really understand what it means to be Manu, Olen and Bosha.
I found that having the male character be the mc is also very interesting. I’m never sure how I’m going to feel about it since I read so many female main characters. I really enjoyed Kol and his perspective. He is in next line to be High Elder of his clan and it shows. He is very kind and considerate. He loves his family and clan with all his heart. He can be very understanding and wants to believe in the good of people. He makes an effort towards Mya even though she shows him such disdain. He wants to believe that others do not have ill intentions even when faced with evidence. You really see his personality in the way he hunts and the way he loves to search for honeybees. He has a peaceful soul. I also love Kol’s name
Mya is very harsh and cold. You can see that she does care very much for her family but also is very closed off. Her brother is the High Elder of the Olen and you can tell she is more of his second in command. She is strong and skilled as a hunter. She is definitely better at than Kol. As more of her backstory comes to light you see that her history is filled with betrayal and sadness. She needs to be strong to protect her heart but she is also very prideful.
I liked the plot, there are many branches to it. There is the issues that Manu does not have many young girls and is also interested in moving South. The Olen clan prefers to keep to itself and has a past with the Manu clan that almost lead them to war five years ago but now they are trying to open friendship. The Bosha clan has their own troubles.
Ivory and Bone is such a great and unique read. I really enjoyed it.
Everyone who pre-orders the book before June 7, 2016 and submits a valid proof of purchase will receive the Pre-Order Gift as a THANK YOU from Julie! (You will also receive her appreciation and affection!!!) This gift is for ALL PRE-ORDERS--print and e-book--international included!Julie Eshbaugh is the author of the upcoming Ivory and Bone (HarperCollins, 2016). She used to have trouble staying in one spot, having lived in places as varied as Utah, France, and New York City. Julie eventually returned home to the Philadelphia area, where she now lives with her husband, son, cat and dog. Her favorite moments are when the unexpected happens and she cheers loudest when the pitcher gets a hit.
WEBSITE | GOODREADS | TWITTER | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM
In addition to the Pre-Order Gift, everyone who pre-orders will be entered to win a PRIZE!!! There will be THREE levels of prizes:
FIVE Second-Place Prizes,
FIVE First-Place Prizes, and
ONE GRAND PRIZE!!!
The prizes include tote bags, posters, and even an American Express gift card worth at least $60 US dollars! (The value of the gift card has been increasing as the number of pre-orders increases.)
For all the details on the Pre-order Gift and Giveaway, please visit http://www.julieeshbaugh.com/preorder-gift/.
