Book Review: The Altar of Bones by Philip Carter

My very first post! After spending my summer bored and alone, I decided to finally begin my blogging journey with the action-thriller novel: The Altar of Bones by Philip Carter.

As a long-time lover of words, I firmly believe that every person can love reading as long as the right book is found!

Hello Everyone!

Do you guys prefer individual reviews or multiple in a post at once? Do you guys enjoy my emotional inputs or critical ones? Let me know!

(Intro) My Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐️

My very first book review begins with a funny little story. I found this book in the room of one of my science teachers who graciously lent me the novel. While it was not my favorite in terms of storytelling or style, the action-packed, fast-paced, and thrilling nature of the story captured my attention enough for me to go out and purchase it for myself to finish!

Was the story worth the journey to seek it out? Well…

(BOOK WARNINGS): For more mature audiences. Gore and disturbing imagery involving death can be found within the novel's contents.

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In Summary:

The story revolves around a girl named Zoe Dmitroff and her love interest, the gruff bad-boy Ry O’Malley, who are attempting to solve the mystery behind the Altar of Bones. This mystery was left to them by none other than Zoe’s grandmother, Katya Orlova, who passes away at the beginning of the novel. While the pair fight their way through the many terrains to solve a seemingly unsolvable mystery, they are being hunted by familiar foes who will stop at nothing for a taste of the Altar.

My Thoughts:

While the story was exciting and the mystery was fascinating, the book fell victim to the clichés of early 2000s adventure treasure tales. Oftentimes, our protagonists' plot armor is apparent and their luck unbound with many pieces "coincidentally" falling into place for them.

To me, the writing style felt immature and devoid of nuance. It made me unsure of who the novel’s intended demographic was as it had the predictability of a "chick flick" while also having scenes graphic enough to rival a horror film.

Alongside this, Carter’s portrayal of some of his “characters” felt disrespectful to the historical figures they were based on, especially when taking into consideration the context of their lives. In particular, his female characters felt a bit flat and shallow.

Despite this, the clichés of the stories were somewhat charming and the book itself was a fun read. I enjoyed the action scenes and the novel's pacing as it kept me wanting to read more, lest I disturb the flow of the story. Perhaps it's my bias toward the Historical-Fiction genre, but the in-real-life elements that Carter incorporates never failed to keep me on my toes. I would often ask myself: What's next? Who else will make an appearance? Is this a new conspiracy?

Would I Read it Again? ☑

Lots of Love,

Kaylee ♡