Brandie June has given us a retelling of “Rumpelstiltskin” for fans of Sarah J. Maas in her book, “Gold Spun.” Nor and her three brothers are orphans, doing their best to get by in a kingdom ravaged by war. After meeting a faerie in the woods, she cooks up a scheme to sell magic straw. The prince of the kingdom catches her, and hoping to expose her as a fraud, promises to marry her if she can spin all the straw into gold in one night. Through the aid of the faerie, she accomplishes this feat and becomes the fiancee of the king-to-be. All is not happily ever after, however; as Nor falls for her prince, other forces are at work to bring down the kingdom.

Although there is obvious influence from the fairy tale, this retelling is original enough that you are still left wondering how it will all come together in the end. I enjoyed the inclusive cast and the growth many of them showed. Brandie June has done a good job ensuring her supporting characters move along with the protagonist.

The narrator, Kathleen McInerney, did a great job giving voice to Nor’s first-person narrative. I found her earnest and believable.

I would definitely recommend June’s “Gold Spun” to fans of fantasy and fairy-tale retellings. It’s appropriate for upper elementary advanced readers right up through adult. I love the strong heroine who, even though she is not averse to running the odd scam, is fiercely loyal to her family and will do what it takes to keep them safe. I look forward to the next installment in this series. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Really interesting take on the Rumpelstiltskin tale by the Grimm brothers! Nor is a character that at times is morally grey and definitely makes the reader question her motives. The ending was really good and it ends on a cliffhanger that makes you want to read the next book immediately!! I definitely will read the next book in the series.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

An imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale 'Rumpelstiltskin', GOLD SPUN is told through the viewpoint of Nor-- a war orphan scrabbling for a dishonest living with her three brothers by tricking people into buying their newest snake oil. However, after a disappointing reconnaissance of a nearby town, Nor stumbles across the distressing scene of a Faerie man captured by two ruffians. After taking the risk to free him-- what follows sets in motion a story of war, drama, and the classic YA love triangle.

Our heroine, Nor, is rough around the edges and fiercley loyal to herself (and her brothers)-- well aware it's her against everyone else. Her character development was realistic, and I enjoyed getting to watch her grow into someone who thinks outside her personal bubble.

GOLD SPUN is a solid choice for young adult readers, fans of magic and PG romance, or anyone who enjoys a good fairy tale retelling!

Gold Spun, by Brandie June, is an interesting retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin story from the point of view of the girl expected to spin the gold. Elnora, 'Nor' had helped and captured a faerie in the woods. As a reward, she was gifted with a gold thread she could use to call on him for a favor. Nor tries to feed herself and her orphaned brothers by using the thread to trick people into thinking she has special straw. Straw that can turn into gold. Elnora is caught in the lie and told to spin a room full of straw into gold for the prince or be exiled, Nor calls on help from the faerie to please the prince and save herself and her three brothers.

The fairie is a beautiful man, as is Prince Casper. Elnora is half in love with both men and tries to navigate her way between them (which of course never works). War between the Faerie Queen and Casper's kingdom further complicate matters. The conclusion to the story, Curse Undone, will be one of my next reads!

Recommended for young adults, or anyone, who enjoy fantasy, especially those who like fairy tale expansions.

Experienced narrator Kathleen McInerney once again voices the characters believable and sympathetically.

I'm just going to dive right in here and say something extremely controversial. I just read a duology, that contained no shortage of Fae characters, in which I was rooting for the...for the...*whispers* human man. *gags*

I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe I'm sick? Or maybe Brandie June, author of the Gold Spun duology, is just so good at writing that she can make you question your longstanding preferences. And make you want the heroine to end up with the human man over the FAE MALE WHO EVEN AM I?!?!

Gold Spun is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling that follows Nor, a teenaged girl who helps a trapped Faerie, Pel, in the woods, only to learn that he can transform straw into gold. Nor saves his life in exchange for a favor, which she uses to con townsfolk--she and her brothers are poor, and as we know from Aladdin, sometimes "ya gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat." She convinces the townsfolk that the straw she is selling can be turned to gold--and naturally, this "magical" gold catches the ears of the royals in the nearby castle. Prince Casper (swoon) comes to collect Nor, as he isn't fooled by her con and calls her bluff: if Nor can turn a room full of straw to gold, he will marry her. Since Nor and her family are starving, marriage to a prince would change their lives drastically for the better. Casper knows that she's a petty thief...that is, until the next morning, when he returns to the tower room he left her in the night before to find a room full of gold (thanks, unbeknownst to him, to the help of Pel). What follows is two books of adventure that had me so hooked that I finished this series in two days!

I read part of the series on my Kindle, and listened to an audiobook courtesy of NetGalley during the times where physically reading wasn't possible, like during my workday or while I was doing random-odd homeowner chores. The audiobook narrator did a wonderful job of voicing the entire cast of characters, and keeping the reader experiencing the same emotions that those characters were feeling. The story was a lovely breath of fresh air.

I'd give this book 3.5 stars. Gold Spun is a fun, yet predictable, retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. The pace was relatively fast and it was one of those books that kept you wanting to read (or in my case listen) more, however, I found myself getting a little bored in the middle. Nor was such a well written character, she was more developed and relatable than any of the other characters as she struggled morally with her decisions to deceive people in order to do what is best for her and her family. The love triangle aspect of the description intrigued me, however, I was a bit disappointed in the execution. Why was Nor into these guys? There didn't seem to be any complexity behind her feelings and it just felt a little lackluster to me which did nothing in convincing me of anybody's love. I also struggled a bit with the motivations of the queen and why the war even existed. It felt like these two groups were fighting for the sake of fighting. The book ended on a cliffhanger and I would like to pick it up just to find out what happens!

This was a great read. I loved the spin on the classic story. Gold Spun is one of those books that starts hitting the ground and doesn't stop. It had me thinking about what was going to happen next even when I wasn't reading the book. The rags to riches, love triangle was fantastically written. I can not wait for the next installment of this series. Great read!

Gold Spun was an interesting take on the Rumpelstiltskin tale. Making him a fae was interesting - it matched his original tale while also making it more original. I enjoyed this book!

Orphan Nor rescues a faerie in the woods, and he gives her a piece of gold thread, which she uses to con villagers into thinking she can spin straw into gold. When her trick catches the attention of the young king, Nor must find a way to spin a room full of straw to gold for him.

I figured out pretty quickly what I was in for with this book: a tropey, self-indulgent fantasy romp, at once heartfelt and not taking itself too seriously. I mean all of this in the best way. The characters are lovable, there’s a streak of the gruesome, and the plot dragged me right along. This book also contains one of very few standard love triangles that actually works really well. Nor’s two love interests each complement a different part of her, and whoever she chooses will really be a choice about what kind of life she wants and what parts of herself she nourishes. They’re also both so appealing that at no point in the book was I sure who I even wanted her to be with.

As for the audiobook itself, Katherine McInerney’s narration was immersive and engaged. She really made it feel like Nor was telling me her story.

All in all, this book was just a fun, earnest experience, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next book because wow that cliffhanger!

This is a fairytale retelling that I was less familiar going into it, which was quite nice since I had limited opinions going into it.

The pacing keeps a nice clip which I really appreciated. I often struggle with slow books and the pacing just felt right. It also makes for a great light hearted read if you’re looking for something fun and not too dark or crazy. The characters are pretty lovable, a few were annoying but you have to have those so you’re not just falling in love with everyone, right!

The fast pace does mean not everything is as impactful as it could be, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and will definitely continue on with the series!

Okay, so the story of Rumpelstiltskin freaked me out as a kid - BUT the blurb for this book intrigued me so I requested it. I really enjoyed Nor - she was a perfect MC and just lovely all around. The narration was also REALLY good. Perfect job moving through the story.

I was hoping for a little more innovation throughout the story, but it was little TOO "re-telling" for my tastes (meaning it was pretty predictable) There were also several slow spots, including the beginning which, for me, sets the tone of how I feel about most of the book - so if I'm bored at first, it's hard to get out of that mindset. I do think the story was okay for the most part. Solid 3 stars from me!

It took me a while to get into Brandi June's Gold Spun, but I really enjoyed this interpretation of Rumpelstiltskin. This was not a complete reinvention of the story, so while there were not many surprises it was still compelling. Nor was a good main character that made me want to root for her. Prince Casper was less compelling and some of his actions seemed more plot driven than character driven, but was still a good character. Pel and his interactions with Nor were the biggest issue for me. I feel like we were not given enough of him and the romance between them was too fast. Overall this is one of the best retellings of Rumpelstiltskin I have read in a long time and I hope for some of the things that made this 4/5 stars will be wrapped up in the next novel.

Gold Spun by Brandie June is a whimsical retelling of the original Rumplestiltskin story. The main character, Nor, is fantastic, selfless, giving, and only wants to take care of her family. The two love interests are very different and that sets them both apart from the others, which is a great way to differentiate between the two.

The story itself is fast-paced and action-packed. The narration was phenomenal and actually made me more interested in the story than I was at first. The narrator was inviting and welcoming to the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The description of this book had me interested but the book had a slow start. There were times when multiple characters were in a scene and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. I was very disappointed in the ending, as I felt it left me hanging. I know there is a sequel but the ending had me feeling like the writer just abruptly stopped the story and would pick it back up in the sequel.

I really enjoyed this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and can’t wait to listen to the second part of the duology.

Stars: 4
POV: single
HEA?: no
OW/OM Drama: yes
Cheating: no
Cliffhanger?: yes
Tropes: retelling, fae, fantasy, fairytale, love triangle

This was a fanciful retelling of the Rumplestiltskin. As is tradition, a poor girl, who in this case is responsible for her 3 brothers, wriggles into the path of royal privilege with the help of a magical gold spinner.

Nor is portrayed as a selfless teen whose sole motivation is to take care of her brothers. via morally questionable methods. The story is fast-paced, with lots of action and a love triangle, but there was a bit of repetition. This is tagged as a YA, but I think this would be better targeted at middle grade audiences.

The narration was a bit robotic to me, but I've always liked Kathleen McInerney in the past so I'm not sure what was different here.

I am a big fan of fairy tale retellings and was delighted when I heard of Gold Spun. There are not many retellings regarding the Rumplestiltskin story and June delivered a heartfelt and unique adaptation. Combining the elements of fae with a language that speaks to modern readers, June has created a timeless story. Our main characters go through some trials and tribulations, and now that I know this is the first in a series, I look forward to more to come.
It's easy to relate to Nora as she struggles to support her brothers and her schemes seem almost necessary for their survival. Prince Cas seems the typical spoiled royal of the story but as the tale goes on he reveals more of himself to Nora and it is easier to understand his motivations.
Pel is just the right amount of suspicious and charismatic, and with some great depth of secondary characters, June allows readers the opportunity to root for more than one love story.
Recommended for those who love fairytales, magic, and all things love and war.

I always enjoy a clever spin (see what I did there?) on a classic fairytale, this story deliveries just that. A beautiful, fantastical world filled with cunning characters.

Retellings of stories can be hit or miss, however this one is a hit. Nor is a wonderful character that does things she isn't proud of, but for the right reasons. I did feel the story leaves you hanging, but that also opens it up for a continuation. If another book is in the works, I look forward to reading it.

My first impression of the plot from the synopsis made me wonder what could have been done to the Rumplestiltskin story to make it new and different? My first impression of the story, on the other hand, was affected by the narrator, Kathleen McInerney. As much as Gold Spun absorbed me right away due to the intrigue of the Prologue, McInerney had a way of reading the story that was very Walken-esque. Her continual pauses in places where there was not a natural pause was quite distracting, which only attests to June’s skill because despite being distracted throughout by the narration, I could not stop listening to find out what would happen next.

I really enjoyed following Nor along her trail of lies and watching her struggle morally with her decision to swindle people who were nearly as poor as she was in order to feed her family. Although, I would say I could feel myself suspending my disbelief on how quickly she became enamored of the prince who at first only looked at her as being of worth because he thought she could make his kingdom rich. I felt like Prince Casper was quite shallow and only revealed himself not to be in small increments until the very end when the plot was so twisted that we could finally see he had three dimensions himself.

I will say, I have guessed the major plot twist of the next book, and sometimes it can be distracting just waiting to find out if your guess is correct and then wondering if it makes the story less successful because you guessed it?

I feel like the story fell the most short with the faerie queen’s motivations. She claims her motivation in starting a war with the humans is that the humans were warring amongst themselves and her son got killed because of it. Maybe I just don’t like the idea of fighting fire with fire, but for some reason I just wasn’t convinced by the queen’s reasoning.

Overall, I will give Gold Spun four stars because it truly hooked me right from the get go, and I wasn’t convinced I would enjoy a retelling. I also had a bit of a book hangover, because I did not expect Gold Spun to not be a standalone, so the end came on like a ton of bricks!