Night Spinner is another one of those books where I just didn't care enough to be invested in the character's journey. I was initially interested because it's marketed as a re-telling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and I do love an unusual re-telling (compared to the slew of Beauty and the Beast stories, for example).

Much like Thorley's An Affair of Poisons, I wasn't connecting with the female protagonist, in this case Enebish. There was a distance there that not even switching to the audiobook could fix (sometimes that works for me but not here). I do think Thorley did a good job in developing Enebish's character over the course of the story and her relationships with the other characters, but in the moment I watched the book unfold from a distance and it left me feeling more apathetic than anything toward Night Spinner. 

This was compounded by the generic world-building. I read a lot of YA fantasy but, for the most part, each book stands thanks to a particular character or world-building element. Wasn't the character here, and can't say it was the world either. Individuals having elemental-type magic isn't new, though that didn't bother me, but the setting and the descriptions could have been set just about anywhere. I never saw what made this world unique. If I went to my shelves to recommend a book, Night Spinner wouldn't even come to mind which is a shame. I had high hopes for this re-telling but even those elements I just didn't catch on to if they were there at all.

To be fair, it's been a long time since I read The Hunchback of Notre Dame so missing the tie-ins could very easily be on me. 

Once again, I put aside a Thorley book in favor of other stories and struggled along to the finish line. Night Spinner isn't a bad book by any stretch but it's not memorable and I never found it engaging enough to feel compelled to read it once I started. Likely not a series I will be continuing in the future.

It is no surprise that I love anything with a nordic/slavic/Russian setting and this book went on my TBR as soon as I was made aware of it. That cover! Also, it's very loosely based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which is another reason I had to pick it up. I'm so glad I did. This seems to be flying under the radar and it's a bit of a shame because it is a very good book. I know there will be the inevitable Grisha comparisons (especially with the main character's ability resembling the Darkling) but it would be a disservice to the book to make that comparison. It's much more than that. There's some amazing world building going on here and the writing is very well done. I sadly didn't realize that this was actually going to be a duology, so I was a bit surprised when not everything wrapped up at the end (my mistake, not the books) but now I have a second book to look forward to! I was very impressed and I will definitely be recommending this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling! From the first page I was sucked in by the magic system and it got better from there. There were twists within twists and by the end, you don't know who to believe.

The world-building could use some expanding but I think that will be rectified more in a 2nd book. I really appreciated how much grey area there was in terms of who was good and who was bad. Overall rating 4.5 stars!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love any retellings, and this one is no exception! The one thing that stuck out the most was the world-building. I truly loved it in this book. I could connect well with the characters, and the writing style really spoke to me. There were some parts that were a little slow for my taste, but all in all this was an amazing title, and I really enjoyed myself whilst reading it.

What a great story. I love a story with a strong female character. Addie's writing is very well done. The words flowed without any problems. Plot points and narrative were so well done. It held my attention the entire time.

Night Spinner by Addie Thorley
Night Spinner Series, Book 1
5 Stars
I was given an ebook ARC of this book by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Night Spinner brings us into the world of Enebish, also known as Enebish the destroyer. Locked away for a terrible crime, cut off from society and her magic, Enebish is offered a task that will not only offer her redemption but save her kingdom. Her job? Infiltrate a rebel group, reveal their secret hideout and bring victory to her King and her people. But once Enebish meets Temujin, and his crew of rebels, she learns that there are two sides to every war, and that she may be on the wrong side.
This is what fantasy adventures are made of. The twists, the characters, the world, I loved it all! I devoured this book. It was the fantastic escape that I was hoping for, and I will be on pins and needles awaiting the next book (which at this point in time doesn't have a release date or title) and painstakingly await what happens next to Enebish!
First, I must talk about the characters in this book. I loved everything about them. We have some amazing villains and we have some amazing character growth along with some fantastic interactions! While romance isn't a major factor in the plot, love and loyalty are. When I first heard this was a retelling of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", I was super intrigued, but as I was reading it, I failed to really see any of the similarities. (Full disclosure, I have never actually read the book, my only reference is the Disney movie that we all know and love) But looking back now, I really can see the wonderful details that do make this an excellent retelling. To see the battle between Enebish the Destroyer and Enebish the warrior, was a fantastic inner dialogue that helped me fall in love with this story.
The world and magic were amazing. I understood about the different kingdoms, I understood the conflict going on and the results they were having for everyone, I understood where magic was from, how it works, and its pros and cons.
This book had me stressin. Like big time. I did not see some major twists that came about, and I loved every single one of them. There was just enough crazy to make it exciting instead of outlandish and unbelievable. I get a little tingly feeling in my heart when I think about how much I enjoyed this book. To me, it has all the classic elements of a great fantasy adventure, with enough unique elements to make it exciting and fun. I truly got lost in this world for a bit, and I highly encourage you to do the same.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My goodness I enjoyed this. This was such a magical read and I couldn't put it down. It was so well written and had amazing world building. I felt like I was right there! I loved the characters, especially Enebish.

Overall this was an excellent fantasy novel that should immediately be added to your shelf!


Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

So, so, sooooooooo good!

Apparently this is a loose retelling of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and to be honest, I couldn't really see the parallels, but that didn't matter because this book is absolutely captivating.

I thought I knew where it was going.

I thought that it would employ the same cliches as so many other YA fantasy books.

I was wrong.

There are some twists in this book that I NEVER saw coming, and I frigging loved being blindsided like that. I means that I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen in the sequel, but I am unbelievably excited for it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this amazing story :)

I really enjoyed this book! My only familiarity with the Hunchback of Notre Dame is the Disney movie, not the original book, so I can't say I noticed all the Notre Dame references in this if any at all. I thought the author's take on the story was very creative though, I loved the world building, and the plot, though maybe a little slow initially, came together for a really exciting climax. The main character was great and I loved seeing her growth over the course of the novel. I'm really excited for the sequel of this book to release next year!

So the beginning of this story was kinda boring. I don’t say it because I’m expecting great action from the start but it wasn’t until about 30-40% of the way through the book that things got really interesting. There were some seriously slow moments in the story that had me going “do I even want to finish this”? Well, I read the whole thing and I really enjoyed it. I thought the plot was good and loved the aspect of the world. Besides the slowness there were some things I wasn’t a fan of - like the main character’s demure. She kept repeating how weak and small she is even though previously she was one of the strongest and most confident warrior. It wasn’t very believable that someone’s personality would change that drastically. Would I believe they would doubt themselves more? Yeah. Would I believe they wouldn’t take as many risks? Yeah. But to go from warrior to a soft noodle didn’t comprehend for me or for the character.

Another thing I wasn’t a fan of was the unanswered plot point. I won’t spoil it, but this point was made over and over again but after every twist, turn, and reveal, this question still was not answered. I hope it will be answered in future books because I’m curious why it was brought up so frequently with no answer or follow up. Besides that, I liked the book. Some characters annoyed me but you don’t get a long with everyone you meet and that’s fine. Overall, great read and I am interested in reading the sequel for sure!

Night Spinner by Addie Thorley is a book I had on my TBR list from the moment I read the summary. I love the idea of a retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame but with a female character and magic. In a world where magic means power, this book will have you wondering who can really be trusted and what everyone’s endgame is.

Thorley does a great job of setting this story up with Enebish as the main character. Her magic is the thing that has made her a monster to the people and having been one of the greatest warriors in the Sky King’s Imperial Army, her magic has been her downfall. I couldn’t help but feel sad for Enebish. With the “help” of her adoptive sister, Ghoa, her punishment for losing control of her power and killing an entire merchant caravan is that she has been banished to a monastery.

It’s hard for Enebish to look at this as merciful as all she wants is to be useful again and as a Night Spinner, she can control the threads of darkness - a power that is very rare and dangerous. When Ghoa approaches her with an offer, she’s unable to refuse. If Enebish can hunt down the rebel Temujin, she can have her freedom and be reinstated as a warrior. Of course, Enebish jumps at this opportunity and as she ventures out on her mission, she begins to learn more and more about what is really going on and she struggles with who she can trust.

I loved Enebish. She isn’t afraid to take chances and she is willing to risk everything for the people she loves. Unfortunately, having been locked away from the world for so long, it definitely takes her a while to figure out what is going on.

On the other hand, I did NOT trust Ghoa. She always appeared to be only looking out for herself an when her history with Enebish and the Army are revealed, I felt totally vindicated for my feelings. As for Temujin, I’m still on the fence. My favorite was Serik – it felt like he was the only one who was there to do whatever was needed to help and protect Enebish. Don’t get me wrong, he also seemed to get her into a number of bad situations, but he was the one who was there for her when she most needed someone.

I can’t say a whole lot without giving away the story, so you’ll have to pick this one up to know more of the details. Just know that I really enjoyed this. The pacing was just right, there’s plenty of action, some great characters, and a story that will keep you wondering what will happen next. I’ll definitely be picking up more by Thorley in the future as she continues to write books that I can’t put down.

heck yes!! A Hunchback of Notre Dam retelling, let alone a gender swapped one. kudos for originality. I don't believe I have ever gotten the opportunity to read such a retelling.
Night Spinner did not disappoint I loved all the characters and our heroines interactions with her best friend Serik. And the love for her sisterI loved the setting the book took place. Like her previous book Night Spinner has exceptional worldbuilding you almost feel like your in I think reading it in winter definitely helped with the atmosphere. Now I did see some of the plot twists coming but it definitely didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Overall Night Spinner is an original retelling, while more character driven than action driven. many will still enjoy.

I haven't had good responses from recent fantasy releases and was a bit apprehensive of this one too. But Night Spinner totally surprised me and I fell in love with the story!!

Enebish's character had intrigued me right from the first page - I wanted to know more about her powers and get story. And the author definitely provided that. She was brave and fearless, but at the same time also real and full of emotions. I loved seeing her grow throughout the book - the character development was great.

Serik was another one of my favorites. I loved that he was so practical and straightforward. At times, he did infuriate me but I loved that the author didn't make him another pawn in the race. He had a voice and he stood his ground.

The story was political in a huge sense but running through it was the essence of family, betrayal, love and the things one would do for power. It was so great how the author weaved everything together and how well she created the whole fictional worlds.

There are two elements that I absolutely enjoyed about this book and the story.

First, the romance wasn't the big, moving element or plot in the story. It was simply a secondary running theme and just bits and pieces that made reading fun. Loved that.

Another thing I absolutely loved were the amazing twists and that very brilliant climax!! I totally wasn't expecting all of those twists and turns and it surprised me so much. In such a good way. I loved it!!!

The ending totally has me hooked and I'm craving for more and more. It's one of those fantasy books that have made me very excited and left me in anticipation for the sequel.

10/10 would recommend.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book. All views expressed are wholly mine.

I received an electronic ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5

The Night Spinner by Addie Thorley is set in a world where at the age of 11, some people manifest special powers. In this case, our protagonist Enebish develops a rare gift, the power to control darkness, and with such a powerful gift, many want to manipulate her and use her powers for their own cause. But who can Enebish really trust?

I came into this story thinking “surely it will be an anti-heroine epic” after reading the description. Though it didn’t really turn out to be one, I was not disappointed in the least.

Enebish, as much as I love her good heart, thought she was a bit too gullible. But that’s just her character and so even though I was annoyed by her, I couldn’t bring myself to hate her. She was so eager to do something good after being branded a monster, she forgot that there might be other monsters in the world.

Before I knew it I had read half the book, and all at once I felt that nothing yet so many things had happened. Pacing was interestingly done. This book had a great way of slowly building plots so that by the end you were completely satisfied by everything that had happened.

Speaking of the ending, it felt like the ending of Alita: Battle Angel (movie). As in, you didn’t realize there was a higher purpose to the storyline until those last few minutes, when all of a sudden, everything that has happened has finally ramped up into this upcoming task. And then the book ends, and I am sooo ready for that sequel. Because although I did like this book, that next book is already my favourite because I KNOW some crazy stuff is about to go down.

Also props to Thorley for writing a plot twist that I actually didn’t see coming from miles away, and for writing one that I did. Gotta keep me on my toes.

BOOK REPORT for Night Spinner (Night Spinner #1) by Addie Thorley

Cover Story: Art Class
BFF Charm: Big Sister
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: Retelling?
Bonus Factors: Superpowers, Revolution
Anti-Bonus Factor: Name
Relationship Status: Possibilities

Cover Story: Art Class

Although this cover is lovely, the watercolor against the stark white background is a little jarring on the eye. And the depiction of the "night spinning" superpowers/magic in the book are so much more than this painting belies. I do dig the title treatment, however; give me a fun piece of clipart instead of a certain letter any day.

The Deal:

Enebish used to be known as Enebish the Warrior … until the fateful day when she lost control over her power of spinning the darkness and controlling starfire and killed an entire caravan of innocent people. Now, she's known as Enebish the Destroyer, sentenced to live her live sequestered away from the general populace, doing penance as the royal bird trainer.

But Enebish wants something more than her provincial life, and when she's given the chance to truly live again, she takes it. Not knowing, of course, how wrong it'll all go and where that decision will lead—back to the Warrior, or even further down the dark Destroyer path.

BFF Charm: Big Sister



Enebish already has an adopted older sister, but for reasons that become clear through reading Night Spinner, her sister isn't the best example of what a sister should be. The many times Enebish shrinks from a situation or thinks about how awful she is absolutely broke my heart, and I'd love to try and make her see that she's not helpless, she's not unworthy, and everyone has an opportunity to make up for their mistakes. Like a big sister should.

Swoonworthy Scale: 6

Enebish has a best friend who grew up in the same household as her. A best friend who's grown into himself quite a bit in the years since The Incident, and who is pretty much the only person who looks at Enebish like a person, not a monster. Additionally, there are some hints of love triangle that actually make a whole lot of sense given the book's plot. I look forward to more swoon in the sequel, whichever way the scales tip.

Talky Talk: Retelling?

On Goodreads, this book is billed as a transformation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. As the only version of this story I know is the classic Disney animated film, I totally didn't get any real Hunchback vibes while reading. (Except for that time that Enebish hid behind a gargoyle on the roof of a monastery …) Maybe I'm not remembering the plot correctly? Either way, Night Spinner stands on its own two feet as an imaginative story with expansive world-building and nuanced characters who are both fragile and strong. The plot is a little predictable (maybe my subconscious remembered the plot of Hunchback after all?), but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book on the whole.

Bonus Factor: Superpowers



Enebish's gift of night spinning is a really, really cool power. I can't say that I fully understand it, but the idea of being able to "control" the stars in your own personal night sky just seems magical (heh). I don't know that I'd want to use them to blow stuff up, but you never know when that might come in handy.

Bonus Factor: Revolution



I'll never turn down a good Robin Hood-style revolution tale.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Name

I'm sorry, but Enebish is a goofy name. I couldn't help but call her Nebbish in my head, and that's not exaclty a flattering thing to call someone. (I mean, it works for Enebish's personailty at the start of the book, but …)

Relationship Status: Possibilities

I had a good time with you, Book—maybe better than I expected. There were some kinks I think we need to work out, but I'd definitely give you another go if you wanted to get together again.

Literary Matchmaking:



● For another main character who overcomes an imprisonment (and also has badass powers), check out Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series.

● If you prefer sun powers to darkness ones, give Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone series a go.

● And then there's Margaret Owen's The Merciful Crow, which has a totally different magical system, but definitely has the same overall feel.

I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

A promising and dynamic start to the series! Enebish is a wonderful and vibrant character and there is so much to love in her interactions with the people and world around her on her journey. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!

Who knew this was the retelling I needed in my life?? The lush world building drew such an epic picture and the story was mind blowing. I could not rec this book enough!

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Night Spinner by Addie Thorley is a spectacular gender bent retelling filled with incredible magic, along with secret societies, and ultimately betrayal.

A spellbinding thrilling ride where I was gripping the edge of my seat as I waited to see how the events unfolded.

Now mentally and physically disfigured and she is spends her days in a monastery training royal birds, completely isolated, locked away. Finding comfort in her only companion, Orbai the bird, and the occasional visits from her childhood friend Serik.

Serik still stays loyal as a steadfast friend, who still sees the good in her, going against what others think of Enebish.

A highly awarded warrior for the king’s army, gifted with the rare power of night spinning; drawing down threads of the night sky, conjuring the cloak of darkness and the fiery stars and bending them to her will. Two years ago she became the most hated and notorious monster in the land. A broken girl, who they say committed a treasonous horrendous act, Strangely she can’t remember losing control on a mission and it resulted in a massacre of innocent lives. Gone is “Enebish The Warrior”. Now she is known only as “Enebish The Destroyer.”

The only reason she was spared death was due to the negotiations of her adoptive sister Ghoa. Ghoa has since achieved notoriety, and resin the ranks in the king’s army.

When she is presented with an opportunity to be reinstated into the Kalima Army. She has to infiltrate a group of rebel deserters.

a Ghoa will convince the king to release Enebish and reinstate her into the Kalima Army. Once she leaves the prison of the tower she is faced with a bigger decisions

A transparent protagonist, who is broken emotionally and physically scared, who rises up. There are multiple layers to the internal struggles that Enebish encounters Along with an engaging storyline that unfolds seamlessly. Richly textured world building where the magic system was perfect for any fantasy readers.

A spellbinding thrilling ride where I was gripping the edge of my seat as I waited to see how the events unfolded. I love everything about this Ya a fantasy book. It’s definitely a wonderful book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading captivating fiction.

NIGHT SPINNER is a story of deception and betrayal, friendship and family, with magic and war woven throughout, and a touch of romance. The fantasy world is intriguing and the characters well drawn, while the story will have readers turning pages as quickly as they can. Highly recommended to YA fantasy fans!

LOOK!!! A girl’s gotta be honest, I love retellings and I almost enjoy the contemporary spin every author adds, but I loved this HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME retelling a little bit whole lotta more!! I plunged into the book with zero expectations, without reading the synopsis, nada and my oh my did it come at me with all them glorious feels! An amazing cast, a fierce resilient heroine who is every bit fierce, loyal and devoted to her people and so many shady side characters!! PLUS PLOT TWISTS, BETRAYALS that hit you in the face BAM! BAM! BAM!

There’s only one word for that kind of devotion. One reason you’d sacrifice yourself for someone else.

We have Enebish, who calls upon night and wears it as her second skin, a traitor accused of being a monster finds herself swaying between choice of her freedom and betraying the kingdom she once fought for. I KNOWWWW, right?? It’s so INTENSE! If you feel the need to pick up the book now, I probably should let you know that what follows is a series of big reveals that is gonna break your heart and an ending that I hope would atleast mend your broken heart!

“So sleep for a moment. Dream with me, Enebish.”

Thorley’s breathtaking storytelling, blended with elements of magic, traditions, myths, wars, a history of battles between age old rival kingdoms, made NIGHT SPINNER a memorable read for me! Sometimes, but mostly in fantasy it’s difficult to relate with characters on a personal level, but with Night Spinner , the whole myriad of characters had a purpose and that extra attention the author paid to each character made me empathise with each of them! Be it Ghoa’s passion to serve her country, Temujin’s thirst for revenge against the kingdom that betrayed him, Serik’s grudge against Ghoa and his consequent outbursts or the complex relationship dynamics between Ghoa and Enebish, each of them factored the story as a whole and as an outcome the ripple effect of the story was beyond brilliant!!

This is what I dreamed of, all those days we spent lying under the larch trees,” he murmurs. “You and me, against the world.”

The perfect pacing made me add another half stars to the book cause honestly I found it diificult to put the book down!!

A shining 4.5 STARS to this amaze-ing book!!!!