I enjoyed reading this book which is a gender swap Sleeping beauty and Indiana Jones retelling with LGBTQ+ romance. I enjoyed the idea of a gender swap story as readers already know the original story but can see it from a different perspective. This book was fast paced with action paced into the book. The story was well structured with a great world building. The story was all great but one thing I didn't enjoy about the book was that there were too many flashback chapters in the book that sometimes could be distracting while reading. Overall the writing was well done.

This book has three main characters ( 3 pops) but one comes in later into the story. Fi is the book lover and Shane is the warrior with Briar being sleeping beauty. I enjoyed each character as you can relate to each character in some way. They developed throughout the novel well and I enjoyed each of their stories. There was one main side character who comes into the story who I absolutely enjoyed and kind of brought story more alive. I wish there were more characters in the book which I hope we will see in book two. There is W/W and M/W romance in this book and both romances were very well done with 1/5 level of steaminess romance.

This retelling has twists and turns that you will enjoy. I can't wait to read the next book and hopefully see more characters in this world. I did have some minor problems with this book but overall it was such a great read. I totally recommend reading this book if you love the Lunar Chronicles and A Curse of Roses.

Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for an ebook of Leslie Vedder’s THE BONE SPINDLE, which comes out on January 11!

This book promised me a genderbent fairytale retelling of Sleeping Beauty with an Indiana Jones spin to it, and it certainly delivered. When Fi, a curse-marked treasure hunter, and Shane, an axe-wielding queer runaway royal, team up together for their next big score in a mysterious ruin, they aren’t expecting to get whisked away on a dangerous quest to wake up the sleeping Briar Rose and save his kingdom. Along the way, you can also expect:

🦴 narrow escapes from Witch Hunters who are all to eager to assassinate them
🦴 friends who are willing to wear that shitty dress your asshole ex insists you wear to his masquerade ball
🦴 world-building that’ll pull you in and dip you down like the best dance you’ll have at said ball
🦴 found family and flirtatious encounters that possibly hint at new chances at true love?!
🦴 a forest of thorns chock-full of monstrous giant spiders and grotesque wolves

I wished for a bit more build-up for the various romantic relationship but loved the friendship at the book’s center—and it’s just the first book in what looks like an exciting series.

CW: Blood, emotional abuse, gaslighting, PTSD, sexism, violence, misogyny, confinement, betrayal

Thoughts and Themes: It took me a while to really get into this book and I was ready to put it aside and decide to read it at a later time. I’m really glad that I stuck with it and didn’t just give up though because once you are about 40% into the book then it is hard to put the book down.

While it does take a lot of the book, I did enjoy the world building that we got throughout this story. I liked that this was a retelling of Sleeping Beauty but it was more than what I expected. I liked learning about Briar Rose kingdom and the curse that is over it as well as getting the back story of the two main characters.

I cried when I found out Fi’s backstory and recommend you proceed with caution on this one especially if you find emotional abuse triggering. When you find out about Fi’s curse and how that happened to her, you see into her past and see how she was emotionally abused, manipulated, and gaslit.

Characters: In this book you get to meet several different characters through their different interactions with Fi and Shane. You get to meet both of their love interests along with Fi’s ex.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Fi and Shane and the snarky banter between them. I liked how they both have to learn to trust the other but they both are the kind of people who want to accomplish everything on their own.

I liked the love interests that are included in this story for both of our main characters and how those relationships come to be. I liked getting to know more about Briar Rose throughout the whole story and through his interactions with Fi. I liked their interactions with each other and how snarky they are towards each other. I liked the way their romance develops throughout the story and how it wasn’t something that was immediate but took a while for Fi to even consider him as a potential love interest.

I do wish that we got more of a love story for Shane since I feel we didn’t get that relationship as developed as Fi’s relationship was. I do hope that we get to see more of this relationship in the next book and we get more of a romance arc for Shane since she deserves this too.

I was searching for a villain this whole time and I think while there’s some villainous characters, it was more about their adventure. I think that you really don’t get to meet the villains of this story until the last 20% of the book and even then it isn’t all about them.

Writing Style: This story is told in third person dual point of view, alternating between Fi and Shane’s perspectives. You also get a few sections with Briar Rose’s perspective thrown in there as well but those are shorter sections than the other two. I liked getting to see this story from all three of these perspectives as it adds to their adventure. I would have liked to hear more from Briar Rose though to see his story before this all takes place. There are also portions where I would have liked to see Shane’s point of view more too.

The Bone Spindle is another classic retelling on the Sleeping Beauty story. Filore and Shane are both treasure hunters, one who has a curse bestowed upon her by her ex, and the other a former heir to a kingdom she left behind. When the two come together for one last treasure hunt only for them to come out with a way to break the sleeping spell on a hundred year old prince, they discover there is more danger out in the world then they ever anticipated, and even more potential for love.

If you know me, you know I'm not the biggest fan of retellings. But oh my god, this is probably one of the best retellings I have ever read.

This world is packed full of amazing worldbuilding. Although there is no map, I could easily picture each of the kingdoms and their histories. It really helped immerse the reader in the world itself. Also, the magic system is extremely well done! I'm always a sucker for a good retelling, and this one takes the mark. There are different orders of magic, mediums for which spells are done, different languages for each order, affinities... it's endless but also easily packed into this story. It's done in such a way that once you get a basic understanding of one thing, the author easily is able to build upon the next layer until at the end you understand almost everything about magic by the end of the book. It was beautifully crafted and I can't wait to see what is done in the sequel.

Now let's talk characters. I absolutely loved every single character in this story. Fi was the smart, loveable character who felt outcasted as a kid and didn't know who she could trust because of her ex. I related to her in a lot of ways because of that, and Fi also became a symbol of "I recognize I'm not a people person and that's okay," and it shows in how she interacts with Shane. Now SHANE oh my god. She is the snarky, lesbian hero that I've wanted for so long in a story and she's done so extremely well. She ends up being more than just her humor and has a complex backstory to boot. I liked Briar, besides the fact that he's the typical charming prince who somehow makes his way into the main character's heart. I just wish he was a bit more than just his past and his purpose as the love interest, and I hope we see that in the following books. And Red... she could kill me in a heartbeat and I would thank her.

In terms of plot and narrative, it was done so beautifully. The story really felt like I was smack in the center of a fantasy Indiana Jones story. Everything was so cinematic in its description and I immediately fell in love with Vedder's style of writing. As a result, the story went very fast paced for me. I will say that I did predict one element of the ending, given the setup, but I'm very curious as to where the sequel will go with that plot twist. I will also say I was slightly disappointed going into this, because I thought Fi and Shane would be each other's love interests, especially since the majority of their story is told in their points of view. However, I did like the very obvious queer representation in this story, as well as the way it tackles trauma and toxic relationships.

The Bone Spindle is THE book you have to pick up at the beginning of the new year. With fast-paced action and plot, lovable characters, and a beautiful twist on a classic fairytale, this is a retelling you won't want to put down.

This is a gender-bent retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I love a good retelling and had yet to read one of Sleeping Beauty so I was very much intrigued.
I loved Fi and Shane and how they worked together to uncover relics and gems and overall the hunting of treasures kept me hooked. I really liked the quest that they took to Andar to save Prince Briar Rose. There is world-building and like any new book getting to know the characters and their past or background can seem slow. This is sprinkled throughout the novel but mainly in the beginning. I liked the 'love at first sight’ trope and how you see the characters intrigued by each other. The romance elements felt a little rushed and we don’t get to see much of the f/f romance. I enjoyed learning of the magical elements within this story and how the witches each played a role within the Kingdom of Andar. I hope there’s a sequel because this ended with discussions of a new beginning for the Kingdom.
Thank you to @penguinteencanada and NetGalley for the review copy.

The Bone Spindle was such an exciting and action-packed read. I loved every moment of it. From the romance to the tension and even the betrayal, this book was a great Young Adult read.

Filore Nenroa is cursed with a butterfly mark on her hand. The curse prevents her from staying in a home for too long, or else bad things happen. The only place she is allowed to stay at for long periods of time is the home of her ex-boyfriend Armond. One day she meets Shane, a girl who left her position as War King to give her brother the throne. The two are not so friendly at first, but throughout their journey, they become great friends. What starts out as one mission, turns into Fi getting pricked by the bone spindle, destining her to save the fallen kingdom of Andar. The catch is, to save the people of Andar, Fi has to kiss prince Briar Rose. On her journey, she ends up falling in love with him, even though she tries hard not to.

The story is full of magic, witches, spells, curses, and adventure. I loved getting to learn about the character and their lives. It was so magical and enticing that I could hardly put it down. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year, and I cannot wait to see how the next book tackles the story.

Thank you PenguinTeen for giving me an eARC of this book!

I was very excited by the idea of a gender-bent retelling of Sleeping Beauty (with a dash of Indiana Jones), and this book delivers on that premise. It was action-packed from the very first chapter, and I particularly enjoyed the separate love interests of the two main characters, Fi and Shane. Definitely worth picking up if you're looking for an adventure-filled romp. Looking forward to the second book in the series.

Fans of fun, fast-paced fairy tale reimaginings will absolutely love THE BONE SPINDLE. The characters are lovable, the changing POVs move the story along smoothly so it’s a page turner (reading it on the NetGalley app during my busiest time of the year is the only thing that slowed me down), the romances are sweet, and it threw me back into ~a decade ago, when I binge-read series like CINDER. I can’t wait for book two to release!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an e-ARC. This is my honest review in return.

A rose by any other name may smell just as sweet, but a Prince named Briar entirely alters the tale we know as Sleeping Beauty. The Bone Spindle reimagines the sleeping princess as a prince in need of a brave heroine to rescue him from his curse. This gender bent retelling surpasses all preconceptions and limitations about what a fairytale can be. Damsels in distress, princes that slay dragons, witches without hearts, and magic without consequence can all get tossed aside. The rich and magical world that surrounds the cursed kingdom of Andar is fraught with treasure hunters and adventure.
Treasure-hunters, Fi and Shane, reluctantly agree to work together for a singular mission to retrieve long lost treasure. But when things go awry, Fi must follow the threads of fate that were woven for her long ago. She is called to save Andar and its sleeping prince from the curse that has hung over the lost kingdom for a hundred years. Now, the tale of the Prince Briar Rose is believed to be only that: a fairytale. Unprepared to save an entire kingdom, battling a shadow of doubt that trails her everyone she goes, and hesitant of the prince’s ghost that visits her with proclamations of love, Fi once again teams up with Shane on the long road ahead. Along the way, their troubled pasts return in unexpectedly haunting ways. Zealots hunt those with magic they deem abominations. And Shane and Fi battle against a love that’s just out reach and one that they’re afraid to chose.
The Bone Spindle is a delightful read that subverts the classic fairytale in all the best ways. Strong women take charge of the narrative in the dual perspective novel. Platonic and romantic relationships enrich the story, which also includes both hetero-romantic and homo-romantic love. This fantasy world doesn’t escape the harm and challenges faced because of fear and prejudice, however, it is a safe place for queer readers as they are never explicitly portrayed as the subjects of those prejudices. Women process positions of power, respect, and are given choice in this narrative. Queer people find love and struggle with it’s complications no different that anyone else. As well, men aren’t subjected to the prototypical masculine attributes of personality or appearance. Men are welcomed to long hair, jewelry, sensitivity, bookishness, and general awkwardness. A prince is more than a male meant to rescue a woman with brute strength and bravado.
There is so much to appreciate about this story from the adventure to the world building, to the representation within the characters. The Bone Spindle expands the genre and helps reframe our understanding of fairytales. I loved it and can’t wait to read what happens next as the series continues!

OK! So, the review!!

Now, i actually really liked this book! When it comes to fairytale retellings, i always naturally have high standards. Here, these standards were met. So let's dive in!

First off: What i liked about the book.

YOU GUYS! i absolutely LOVED the main characters! I loved reading about Fi and Shane. They were both SO RELATEABLE (especially shane) and just so fun to read about. Fi is a reader, but in a cute way like us of course haha. As for shane, she's just HILARIOUS. Her lines and sarcasm and actions just made me giggle as i read through the book.

The love intrest: BRIARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Can i just say that its so cool that this is a gender reversed sleeping beauty? Love it! I loved brirar and fi's interactions. I didn't love the ghost idea at first, but i warmed up to it and enjoyed reading about this character a lot!

Love story plot(s):

OK! first, i want to talk about Red and Shane's because damn, i just- wow. I will say though someone needs to give shane a hug, poor girl's been THROUGH IT. I literally have it in my notes "why can't shane just be happy." Anyways, as for the actually love relationship, i loved it, i loved them, i loved the story, i loved it all. I was so eager to see where they would go and still am eager. Like i want a book just about them. I feel like they have so much potential, and we were left with SCRAPS to satiate ourselves and i just NEED MORE!! Their scenes had me laughing, crying, squealing, screaming through notes i wrote. All the feels.

Now for fi and briar: I was a little hesitant towards the idea of briar being a like a ghost and throwing all the information out there that they were "destined to be together." But i do appreciate the fact that it wasn't forced and was written super well to seem that they fell in love with eachother naturally. I also appreciate Briar for acknowledging the trauma fi went under and not pushing a relationship after he wakes up. I love the two of them together and want to see where they go!

Plot:

I loved the plot. I loved how there was not just one witch but a group, and i loved their personal stories. I specifically enjoyed reading about what happened to them after the spindle witch came and decided to be a meanie. That literally gave me chills and i feel like we could learn so much more about them in the next book. Another plot element i loved was having 2 main characters. I think the shift in focus between them was smooth, and i loved not reading about one character constantly.

Now as for the not so good things:

The only thing i have to say is world building. I didn't really understand the world building and magic system. I feel like that's easy to fix though, just more elaboration is necessary.

but ya'll, i need another book!!
OVERALL RANKINGS:
plot: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Romance: 5/5

I wanted to love this book. Everything in me was excited for this book. I saw the synopsis and instantly knew I wanted to read it. It sounded full of the best tropes, was a gender-bent retelling of Sleeping Beauty, AND had Indiana Jones vibes? Please, this was everything I could've wanted. Sadly, the book failed to reach those expectations. My main issue is that this was marketed as YA yet read more like a middle grade book. The writing was very "tell-y" and fell flat. I didn't care about any of the characters, the tropes were forced and were stereotypical, and the romances were forced and lacked any kind of believability. I wanted to care about the characters, I really did. Their backstories and personalities had such a potential, but the execution of developing these characters was honestly terrible. To be frank, this book reads like a first draft of a middle grade book. Had the author taken the time to develop the world or the characters, this book would've been entirely different. However, the writing was so simplistic and flat that I read the book in one day (and not the good-kind of binge reading because you love the book; the bad kind because the book is so easy to read it's honestly boring). I wish I could say I liked this one, but it was just not it.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers/Razorbill for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my opinion of the book**

Wow, was this is a great start to a series!

The Bone Spindle is Leslie Vedder's debut novel and the class of '22 is starting off on a great foot with this one. The story mostly revolves around Fi (full name Filore) and Shane, two treasure hunters who agree to work together for "one job" that becomes much longer when Fi accidentally pricks her finger on the bone spindle and sets into motion events that will break the spell on a magical world called Andar and it's sleeping (and cursed) crown prince, Briar. I say "mostly" because Briar gets a few POV chapters in there, but the lion's share go to our two female protagonists.

Fi is from a noble family, is very resourceful and smart, and is a hiding a secret that has to do with her last hunting partner. Shane is from a royal family, but after a series of events finds herself disowned and making a living as a huntswoman for hire. I loved her bold and rash attitude, along with her stubbornness, and how that paired well with Fi's logic and rationality. They balance each other well and develop a genuine friendship as the book continues, which was really nice to see. I'm glad to see more women who are able to handle themselves and fewer books that feel they need to pit the female characters against each other.

The love interests were also interesting. Briar is a cursed prince (and a genderswapped Sleeping Beauty), as well as being a powerful light witch. He's chivalrous but has a dark side. He's funny and thoughtful, as well as being very idealistic. Shane's love interest is a girl we know simply as "Red" is also a witch of some sort and a traveller, as well as charismatic. I have thoughts on where I think the story is going with her, but I don't want to spoil anything for y'all. I'm hoping we see more of her in book 2. I like that Vedder was able to include all kinds of relationships in a Fantasy series. It's nice to see YA Fantasy is leading the genre into being more inclusive.

The pacing was good for the most part. I think there were aspects where it slowed down a bit, but they're usually at a point where you need a little breather or you need an explanation. These slower sections don't last very long and we get back to the main adventure pretty quickly. I feel like this book was the "set up" book for an even bigger adventure series, which makes me very happy. It's giving me ACOTAR vibes in that I enjoyed book 1, but the subsequent books were even better.

All in all, this was an excellent start to a series that I can't wait to read more of. If you like fairy tale retellings, I'd recommend this. The book description mentioned fans of The Cruel Prince, and while I think the stories diverge pretty far from each other, I can see where fans of TCP would enjoy this: strong female characters in a great Fantasy setting. I already mentioned that I think ACOTAR fans would like it. I would probably add fans of the "Adventure" story (e.g. Watership Down, The Hobbit). I cannot wait to see where Vedder takes us next on this journey!

4.5/5 stars (rounded up for Goodreads)

Book Review⁣
Book: The Bone Spindle⁣
Author: Leslie Vedder⁣
Publication Date: January 10, 2022⁣
Genre: YA Fantasy⁣
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Synopsis:⁣
The Bone Spindle is a gender bent retelling of Sleeping Beauty. The story follows Fi and Shane. Fi is a historian/treasure hunter and Shane is a treasure hunter. Both females decide to partner up on a treasure hunt, and in the process of this, Fi ends up pricking her finger on the bone spindle, thus connecting her to Briar Rose, the sleeping prince, making her the one that will have to kiss the prince to help save his kingdom.⁣
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Review:⁣
This was such a fun book full of adventure and magic. I loved how the story moved from present and past so that the readers could really understand the background of Fi and Shane. Both back stories are heartbreaking in different ways, but really help to understand the characters actions and choices through out the book. I loved how different Fi and Shane are but worked so well together. This book also had some romance, including m/f and f/f. I loved how Fi and Briar Rose were able to form a relationship via magic while he was under the curse. I wish we would have gotten more backstory on Red, Shane’s romantic interest, but I have a feeling we will be seeing her again in the next book.⁣
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Overall, if you are looking a for a book with strong female characters, action/adventure, magic, wonderful character development, and elements of romance, this is definitely the book for you. ⁣
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I received an ARC of this book from⁣
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#bookreview #thebonespindle #yafantasy #leslievedder #fairytale #retelling #genderbent #lgbtqbooks

When I picked this book up I was definitely looking for something that would keep me engaged and make me smile, and this one fit the bill! I loved the fact that it was a retelling with a few twists, such as being queer, including a treasure hunter and real depth while still maintaining that fun adventure/fairy tale vibe.

I loved that in this world treated different sexual orientations as normal, it's always such a nice thing to see, especially in genres other than contemporary. I also appreciated that the story wasn't all fun and adventure, it dealt with a lot of other issues such as trauma from past relationships (including some pretty toxic behavior that caused that trauma).

Also, I really enjoyed the writing and world building in this book. I felt like it was a great set up for the world and will serve as a great foundation for the series. I can't wait to see what the next book has in store!

4,5 stars

I loved this one! It was so fun and not a dull part. I was a bit skeptical of the concept at first 'Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones' I immediately was like "Oh my god, what!?" But this was so good and so much fun.

I need a physical copy immediately. This is the book I would ask my non-reader family/friends to read it is such a beautiful book that you can tell the author put so much time and effort into and it was amazing and I can't wait to follow these amazing characters in the sequel!

I was so looking forward to this book! However, it fell a little bit flat for me.

There were a few things I liked. The friendships and found family aspects were great. The world building and adventure were really extensive and well done.

The romances were not for me. I didn’t feel connected to either and I wasn’t a fan of them. I don’t know if it was the tropes or something else, but I just didn’t enjoy them.

I also felt like this was contemporary and then fantasy. It felt like it didn’t match up at some points and it jerked me out of the story a lot. Overall, a unique read but it wasn’t for me.


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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4389299878

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers for an advanced copy of this to review! I'm always a fan of retellings, so I was excited to dive into this one! It's being pitched as Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones, which is absolutely the best way to describe this book.

If you're looking for a grand adventure in your book, this one will definitely fit the bill. Vedder has crafted an exciting story set in a fairytale-esque world. I loved the way the world worked. And the world building felt natural. As the reader, you're pulled into the world of unique magic and curses and ruins. The twists on the original tale also add to the overall world of the book.

The characters are also well done! Fi and Shane have great chemistry from the get go. They work well together, even if their personalities may clash. And their relationship grows naturally throughout the book. Honestly, their relationship is probably my favorite part. It's definitely worth reading the book just for them!

However, as the first book in the series, it felt a little long to me. Parts of the plot in the middle dragged a bit. But! With the way the book ends, I'd definitely be interested in reading the next installment.

3.5/5 stars

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was fantastic! I was pulled in from the very first chapter. The characters were all very likeable and I was rooting for them from the start. I particularly liked Shane. She was fierce but sensitive at the same time which I really enjoyed. The story was very captivating and kept me interested the whole time. I’m really looking forward to seeing where the stories goes from here.

Well this was a fantastic magical gender-bent retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Instead on Briar Rose being a princess, it’s a prince and he is cursed just like a story. The witches do the same magical curse but it’s more detailed with what magic they posses than what we’re used to. So centuries have passed and the land is more imaginable with different magical settings.

Our main characters Fi and Shane are treasure hunters and they have a map with a hidden item within the rose forest. But there are others who want to stop all magical items from being found, witch hunters. Their a society who think all magic are a blithe and should be destroyed. So the two set out on a mission to find what the hidden item is that shouldn’t be found.. I think you get the just!

Instantly the book opens up and we are thrust into an adventure between two funny main characters. My only down side is they keep talking about how much a bookish bore Fi can be and I feel bookworms are powerful in their own ways. The mission I can see being compared to Indian Jones, because you have trip wires and obstacles, but another part of me felt the Goonies. I also loved the world building and how this whole fairytale is reimagined in a new way.

If you love retelling that are imaginative and different I say this book is perfect for you!!!

Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones!!! This was such a fun read, really had me interested and hooked so that I couldn't put it down, I love retellings, especially when there's multiples represented and weaved into the story, it's just so cool to see what the author can create from it.