In this action-packed sequel to The Bone Spindle, Fi and her ax-wielding partner Shane face new challenges after awakening the sleeping prince. As they battle the Spindle Witch, Witch Hunters, and Fi’s Butterfly Curse, Shane must confront Red, the Spindle Witch’s right hand, while Prince Briar Rose grapples with a sinister bond. To save Andar, they must decode a mysterious book, find the hidden city of the last Witches, and uncover a centuries-old secret—before it's too late. Set in a world of twisted fairytales, The Severed Thread is a thrilling tale of friendship, romance, and adventure.

I loved this sequel to The Bone Spindle! It picks up right where the first book in the series left off with more adventures and twists and turns.

This world is really fun and while I had some issues with how the story was written and where the plot went (or rather didn't go) I still had lots of fun reading this.

Leslie Vedder’s debut novel The Bone Spindle, a gender-bent reimagining of the tale of Sleeping Beauty, absolutely knocked it out of the park with the action, the found family aspect, the romances, and the worldbuilding. When the opportunity came up to read and review the sequel, I jumped at the chance. What started out as a simple quest for treasure has changed Fi and Shane’s life forever – the action in The Severed Thread picks up with the group on the run from the witch hunters and the Spindle Witch as they attempt to get Briar (the legendary prince Fi woke with a kiss) to the last refuge for witches and save the kingdom. The Severed Thread expands on the existing worldbuilding from The Bone Spindle. Readers get to learn more about the different witches, the witch hunters, and the kingdom as a whole. I loved getting to learn more about Andar’s history and how the Great Witches got their titles. The Rose Witch in particular has been a big character over the course of the series so far, and I appreciated the little stories here and there that allowed readers to learn more about her. There is a lot of character development for the main players in the story (Red, Shane, Fi and Briar) as they work towards the Spindle Witch’s defeat. For example, every relationship (both romantic and platonic) in the ragtag group has been affected by their past trauma. They have to work through their challenges to make meaningful progress towards a happily ever after, and that felt more real to me than when two lovers just magically fall into each other’s arms (because in real life, it takes work to maintain any relationship).

It was interesting to see how Fi and Shane’s relationships with Briar and Red respectively are at opposite ends of the spectrum – Fi is trying hard not to fall in love with Briar due to fears of repercussions from her butterfly curse, and Shane is head over heels in love with Red while Red is holding her at arm’s length (due to her association with the Spindle Witch). Readers who love young adult fantasy books filled with action, engaging storylines, and lots of humor should definitely pick up The Severed Thread today. After the events of book one and two (and a cliffhanger ending), I’m eager to see how the story ends in the final book (to the best of my knowledge, the series is intended to be a trilogy). CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, Blood, Captivity, Abusive and Manipulative Relationships (Historical)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

I really tried getting into this one because of how much I enjoyed the first book. I couldn't really get into this story though and I tried it as an audiobook as well as eBook. There were too many perspectives for me to follow and I wasn't really invested in Briar's storyline at all.

This is what a sequel is supposed to be. It has great character development while not taking away from the original storyline. The story progressed beautifully, and you fall more in love with each character as the story moves forward.

Briar's story line does some back and forth movement but it doesn't take away from the progression of the book which was really well done. Sometimes story arches like this stay stuck in the past. Fi is really growing into her character and I'm starting to like her a bit more. I need her and Briar to make a move already because they are killing me, slowly.

Shane and Red, holy smokes. Love them, LOVE THEM. I know we aren't suppose to root for the bad guy, but dammit Red deserves a happily ever after after what she's been through; and who better to spend it with than Shane?

My only issue with this book is that god forsaken CLIFFHANGER!! WHY?!

I absolutely loved the first book, but the second book just did not do it for me. I’m not quite sure if it was too many perspectives, that all sounded similar, or the lack of character development. Even though there was some plot progression, I wasn’t interested. I was surprised to get to the end of this book and find out that there’s going to be another one. This book definitely suffers from middle buck syndrome, and even though there was more romance, I really just did not have any interest in it. Which is interesting because I loved it in the first book.

Even though this book ended on an interesting cliffhanger, I don’t think I’m gonna be continuing the series.

Holy Indiana Jones meets Sleeping Beauty (and maybe a smidge of red riding hood :) In this case, Indiana Jones is Fi and Shane combined and Sleeping Beauty is Briar. I cannot explain how much I enjoy this series. This is the sequel to the bone spindle. Leslie did such a good job taking the characters she had started to build in The Bone Spindle and allowed their personalities to develop and to allow them to grow.

Fi and Shane's relationship is probably one of my top tier favorite partnerships. Where at first Fi was hesitant to have a partner (insert plot point here) at first but would literally follow Shane to the ends of the earth and would do anything to save her and Shane has and would do the same. Following her into danger no matter what the consequences might be. It makes my little goblin heart happy.

As for Red, I really did not like Red in the first book. I knew that girl was trouble, but I really enjoyed how she was developed in this book and the changes and growth she made.

This book also had a good cast of side characters, The Paper Witch, Perrin, and nobody can forget Cinzel. I would die for CINZEL. Just an FYI and his relationship with Shane. Absolutely spot on. When the dog likes you, you know the relationship is gonna find a way to work and if it doesn't I'm going to be devasted.

My Views - The Severed Thread is the second book in the Bone Spindle Trilogy. The story started from the cliffhanger from the first book where Fi and Shane along with Briar and the Paper Witch started their journey to find the hidden city of the last witches to uncover a secret that might help them defeat the Spindle Witch.

Like the first book, in this one also, the dynamics between Fi and Shane are a treat to read. They clearly go on with each other all the time but underneath that they have love and respect for each other and are always ready to protect each other's back. In this book, more background stories are added to all the characters including Red. Her character definitely added more interesting elements to the story. Her journey from being their enemy to friend and her past, her connection to the Spindle Witch, everything added more excitement to the storyline.

This book is as interesting as the previous one with more adventures, magical hidden cities and more secrets to unravel.

This book also ends in a cliffhanger as it is the second book of a trilogy. I am intrigued to see how the author takes the book to the finale.

Overall, this one is a very exciting and fun read.

Thank you Netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Returning to this world and seeing the world building get better and incredible is the cherry on top. It's the perfect book I need for when I'm in the mood to read YA. Loved the characters and the relationships built. Look forward to continuing the series.

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for an eARC from netgalley to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CWs: violence, fighting, blood and injury detail, fire

I enjoyed this one, but not quite as much as the first one. While this one was still exciting, magical, and fun to read, I just felt like it was more feelings-heavy and a bit slower in terms of the plot. There was more discovering possible answers instead of actual answers.
I did really like the progression of the relationships between Fi and Briar and Shane and Red. Each pair had time where they were the focus, and I liked seeing them work out some of the issues they had in the previous book.
I also really liked getting to learn more about Red and her past. Red has some major trauma in her past, and I absolutely felt for her character during this one. I liked seeing her growth as she and Shane grew closer.
I thought the ending was climactic and exciting, and the author does a great job of gripping the reader and keeping them glued to the book during these scenes. I was frantically flipping pages, and that ending! I’m both terrified and excited to find out what’s in store for these characters next.

I loved this so much! This is such a great fantasy with lots of high stakes and amazing characters. It’s rare to find fantasy with both great plot and characters but this book does it amazingly. I will admit I’m not a huge fan of the romance but that’s just a personal preference. The world building and intricate adventures are a great part of this book that I’m sure many will enjoy.

I recently devoured The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder, and was dying for more Vi and Shane content!

Luckily, today is my stop on TBR & Beyond Tours’ bookstagram tour for The Severed Thread by Leslie Vedder! Today I’ll be sharing my review of The Severed Thread but be sure to check out the tour schedule (link in bio) for amazing content from all the hosts!

I’ve seen this series be compared to the Indiana Jones movie franchise, which I find to be very accurate! They both possess the same thrilling, treasure hunting adventures and a sense of discovery. I enjoyed the ways that Leslie Vedder pushed her characters in The Severed Thread, as I feel they truly grew from where they were in The Bone Spindle. This series has fantastic pacing and wonderful character relationships, and I personally cannot wait to see where this trilogy will end!

My Recommendation-
If you enjoy books that make you feel as though you are on an epic adventure, you need to grab copies of both The Bone Spindle and The Severed Thread! I would especially recommend this series to fans of queer fairytale retellings.

4/5 stars, when it picked up it really picked up

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group & Razorbill for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I remember reading the first book in this series last January, and absolutely falling in love with the innovative and unique storytelling. This is a retelling of sleeping beauty with some hints of Indian Jones thrown in, and I still think that it took a lot of talent to mesh those two things together. The vibes for this story are so fun and blended perfectly into this book as well. There were some parts of this book that I think could be improved upon but overall it was still a good read.

One of the things that was just a bit frustrating was that the plot and pacing felt a bit uneven, sometimes there was lots of action (like in the beginning) but then it would slow down and I felt sometimes focused too much on little things. It just felt inconsistent throughout the whole story, enough for me to notice so I hope that it's more consistent in the following book. I also wish we had gotten a little more detail on the setting, though we did get some other world-building. The main mystery wasn't solved, but there were some more tidbits uncovered about it. But in general, I didn't feel that a lot of the setting was overlooked, even when a place was revealed.

My favorite part of this was Shane and Fi, the best partners for this story. Even from the beginning, I've loved their banter and relationship, and while there were periods where they weren't together in this book I loved when I did see them together. The trust that has been established between them is really sweet, and they know how to work off each other's strengths. I prefer Fi a bit more, just because she's the bookish scholar type and it's really interesting to see her figure out riddles. I still love Shane, she's just a bit more headstrong than her partner, which gets her into some tricky situations.

There were some good side characters in this story too including The Paper Witch, Briar, Red, and Perrin. While I didn't remember a lot about the Paper Witch initially, he was still a really interesting character especially when it was revealed that he had magical tattoos. Briar was a favorite side character of mine, though he was given chapters from his point of view so that was really fun to see. Red was my least favorite character, though it was interesting to get more of her backstory. And finally, I think Perrin was a great addition to the group with his humor and skillset.

Evolving from the first book, the romances were a lot bigger piece of the plot than before. I really enjoyed one of them and wasn't wholly convinced about the other, but I think there is potential there. Shane x Red is the one I'm not totally sold on, just because of how theirs has been playing out, but again I think there is a romance that can be built from it. I really enjoyed Fi and Briar's interactions though, and I cannot wait to see more of them.

Overall, this book did fall into middle-book syndrome a little bit, but I was so excited to see that there was a third book being written. This world is really fun and while I had some issues with how the story was written and where the plot went (or rather didn't go) I still had lots of fun reading this. There are definitely things to be improved on but I'm excited to read the final book.

[TW: animal bites, blood, hand trauma, broken bones, abuse mentioned, some gore, injuries, poisoning, sandstorm, death of parents and loved ones mentioned]

This is a great second installation by Leslie Vedder. The best part of the continuation of this series is how while the first book relied heavily on fairy tales we already know, The Severed Thread really comes out as an original piece of work set within the fairy tale realms. It is a really impressive step up from what we already know. The characters are also so complex and intriguing to read about, and there is no boring POV in this series. I am eagerly awaiting the third installment, as should other fans of this series.

This series just keeps getting better with each installment. Shane and Fi are two of the best characters I’ve encountered in YA fiction in a while. I love the friendship these two share and the dynamics of the relationship. All of the characters in this book are fantastic. The amount of snark and sass in this book is off the charts and I am here for it.

Book two picks up right after the ending of The Bone Spindle. Fi and Shane are still trying to figure out a way to stop the Spindle Witch so they can all live happily ever after. To further complicate things, Fi’s Butterfly Curse keeps causing more and more problems that hinder their progress. Red, the Spindle Witch’s helper, also causes trouble on behalf of the Spindle Witch.

This book also turns up the romance a little too. Now that Fi has woken Briar from his sleep their relationship starts to grow. When Red resurfaces and crosses paths with Shane, the two have a will-they or won’t-they relationship.

This book features lots of action and adventure. Lost cities, dangerous puzzles, witch hunters, and dark magic are all obstacles our dynamic duo have to face and overcome. The Severed Thread was a fantastic read and I am so ready for book three to arrive so I can see how this ends.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. Absolutely loved!

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an arc of this book.

In the sequel to The Bone Spindle, Fi, Shane, and Briar have to flee the kingdom and escape Red and the spindle witch.

Not going to say much else about what happens because spoilers but this was a wild ride! I loved exploring more of the world and learning more about the characters. Shane is still my favorite character and I absolutely loved seeing her more in this one and exploring her not-really-relationship with Red.

Also I love how close Shane and Fi are now. Like... qpr anyone?

The Severed Thread picks up not long after the events of Bone Spindle, which means everyone’s emotions are still raw. What happened in the Forest of Thorns changes everything, and our trio of intrepid heroes are more determined than ever to find a way to stop the Spindle Witch.

This book is full of such layered characters whose strengths and weaknesses truly drive the story forward. Their relationships, however complicated and fluctuating, are what gets them to their feet after being knocked down. It’s what forces them to make reckless decisions, and it’s what inspires them to become heroes. But it’s Fi and Shane’s friendship that takes centerstage for me. When they are together, they are an unstoppable force, but even when they are separate, they lean on the knowledge they have learned from each other. I loved that they didn’t have to be in the same room for you to feel the vibrancy of their friendship hanging in the air all around them. Several of their scenes brought tears to my eyes, and I’m so happy to have found this series so that I can keep all of those moments close to my heart.

The characters must work for scraps of information, and when they find a piece of the puzzle, it’s ever more rewarding to watch as they lock it into place. Building up the broad landscape of a picture such as this is much more manageable and intriguing, and I’ve found I’m as invested in the kingdom’s history as I am in the characters who have lived it.

Overall, I thought The Severed Thread was an inspired sequel to The Bone Spindle, which was certainly one of my favorite books of 2022. It added layers of depth and emotion to an already strong foundation, and has me even more excited about what comes next. Here’s to hoping all our favorite characters find their happily ever after.

Great sequel to The Bone Spindle twisted fairy tale series. This is just as action packed and entertaining as the first book. Severed Thread has more character development and swooping romance. As a reader we get more comfortable with the characters’ sassiness and I honestly would read a never-ending version of this story. Cliffhanger ending took a star away but I want more. All the love for the gender flipped retellings!

Many thanks to Penguin Teen / Razorbill for the gifted ebook !