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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Dnf. I can't say I don't like YA books because most of my favorites are. But when they read like a 21 year old is 12 I just can't keep going. I feel like with just a few chapters I already know how this will end. I know me not finishing isn't fair to the author or the review but I need something to keep me going. A secret twist, a future death I'll regret, I dunno something.
So I began to get annoyed with "The old me would have burned them all to ashes, but the me now is a wimp and uninteresting". The bad boy showed up, we know she is going to fall for, she is a little broken now I'm going to guess she gets revitalized. Meh don't care to find out. Couldn't connect with the characters. Wasn't any good world building. Done.
So I began to get annoyed with "The old me would have burned them all to ashes, but the me now is a wimp and uninteresting". The bad boy showed up, we know she is going to fall for, she is a little broken now I'm going to guess she gets revitalized. Meh don't care to find out. Couldn't connect with the characters. Wasn't any good world building. Done.
Loved it!
This book was amazing! The world building, the characters, the beauty of the writing, the pacing, all of it was so well done! And now, because of that ending, I can’t wait for the sequel! I always appreciate finding YA fantasy books with clean romance and no more than mild swearing, and I’m happy to say that this book checked all the boxes. I’m so excited to read the sequel when it is published!
This book was amazing! The world building, the characters, the beauty of the writing, the pacing, all of it was so well done! And now, because of that ending, I can’t wait for the sequel! I always appreciate finding YA fantasy books with clean romance and no more than mild swearing, and I’m happy to say that this book checked all the boxes. I’m so excited to read the sequel when it is published!
Damn, this book has some of the most unexpected revelations and twists ever.
It also felt like it never stopped. The action just continued and I didnt know who to trust or who to root for.
But I will say that ending brought the breath back into my lungs.
I cannot wait for the next book.
It also felt like it never stopped. The action just continued and I didnt know who to trust or who to root for.
But I will say that ending brought the breath back into my lungs.
I cannot wait for the next book.
Book: Night Spinner (Night Spinner #1)
Author: Addie Thorley
Genre: Fantasy, Retellings, Romance
Age: Young Adult
Started Reading: December 27, 2020
Finished Reading: January 1, 2021
Rating: 4 Stars
Plot (5/5 Stars): The plot was everything I could've wanted it to be. It had such interesting themes exploring mental abuse and manipulation. It had a great beginning, a good middle, and WOAH! That ending was insane. It made so much sense, but I was still really shocked. It was juts explosive and set up perfectly for the sequelHonestly, I did always get some weird vibes from Temujin while reading, but I didn't think everything he said would be a lie, BUT IT WAS OMG! I also loved seeing the parallels between this and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. They were subtle but they were definitely there. The world-building was also done really well. Overall, the plot was really great!
Characters (4/5 Stars): I don't think I deeply connected with the characters yet, but I definitely think I'm on the way to doing that. Enebish was a very intersting mc and her characterization was great. The way she grew throughout the story was really nice to see, too. Ghoa was probably the most fascinating character, in my opinion. I was just enraptured by the way she thinks and her moral compass. I can't wait to see her in the sequel. Temujin...I can't say much without spoiling, but I can say that his character arc was pretty perfect and just made so much sense, so I really appreciated it. Lastly, Serik. He's pretty underdeveloped right now, but like I said, there's a sequel so there's a lot of room to grow. Plus, I love his relationship with Enebish. It's so refreshing and, honestly, I am so close to being 100% on board with this ship. They're that good together and I can't wait to see more scenes with the two of them.
Writing (4/5 Stars): The writing was above average. It wasn't anything special, but Enebish's voice was fun to read from. I do think that the descriptions were really good. I could envision all the scenes very well, which obviously heightened my experience with this. Overall, though, there's some room to grow.
Pacing (3/5 Stars): The pacing is probably where most issues with this book lay. The story was so great, but the speed at which things happened felt a little messy. The overall development of the novel wasn't that bad, but it definitely could've been better
Enjoyment (4/5 Stars): I really enjoyed this book. I did have problems with it, but I thought the story was so interesting and set up for a great series, whoever long it's going to be. I'm not 100% in love with the characters, but I'm am pretty invested in them and the romance. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to people and I'm very excited to see what the sequel has in store!
Author: Addie Thorley
Genre: Fantasy, Retellings, Romance
Age: Young Adult
Started Reading: December 27, 2020
Finished Reading: January 1, 2021
Rating: 4 Stars
Plot (5/5 Stars): The plot was everything I could've wanted it to be. It had such interesting themes exploring mental abuse and manipulation. It had a great beginning, a good middle, and WOAH! That ending was insane. It made so much sense, but I was still really shocked. It was juts explosive and set up perfectly for the sequel
Characters (4/5 Stars): I don't think I deeply connected with the characters yet, but I definitely think I'm on the way to doing that. Enebish was a very intersting mc and her characterization was great. The way she grew throughout the story was really nice to see, too. Ghoa was probably the most fascinating character, in my opinion. I was just enraptured by the way she thinks and her moral compass. I can't wait to see her in the sequel. Temujin...I can't say much without spoiling, but I can say that his character arc was pretty perfect and just made so much sense, so I really appreciated it. Lastly, Serik. He's pretty underdeveloped right now, but like I said, there's a sequel so there's a lot of room to grow. Plus, I love his relationship with Enebish. It's so refreshing and, honestly, I am so close to being 100% on board with this ship. They're that good together and I can't wait to see more scenes with the two of them.
Writing (4/5 Stars): The writing was above average. It wasn't anything special, but Enebish's voice was fun to read from. I do think that the descriptions were really good. I could envision all the scenes very well, which obviously heightened my experience with this. Overall, though, there's some room to grow.
Pacing (3/5 Stars): The pacing is probably where most issues with this book lay. The story was so great, but the speed at which things happened felt a little messy. The overall development of the novel wasn't that bad, but it definitely could've been better
Enjoyment (4/5 Stars): I really enjoyed this book. I did have problems with it, but I thought the story was so interesting and set up for a great series, whoever long it's going to be. I'm not 100% in love with the characters, but I'm am pretty invested in them and the romance. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to people and I'm very excited to see what the sequel has in store!
3/5 stars!
I was super excited to read this, and unfortunately, this book didn't reach those expectations. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy reading this book, but it just didn't wow me like I wanted it to. I did end up liking the first half a lot more than the second half. I think this is because the world building, to me, was kind of weak. I did really like the main character, Enebish. I loved watching her grow into her power and her own self-confidence. I also really loved some of the side characters and relationships in the story. I did, however, feel like the romance was really weak and not developed.
In the end, this book was okay, but not as good as I was hoping it would be.
Thanks for reading!
Caden
I was super excited to read this, and unfortunately, this book didn't reach those expectations. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy reading this book, but it just didn't wow me like I wanted it to. I did end up liking the first half a lot more than the second half. I think this is because the world building, to me, was kind of weak. I did really like the main character, Enebish. I loved watching her grow into her power and her own self-confidence. I also really loved some of the side characters and relationships in the story. I did, however, feel like the romance was really weak and not developed.
In the end, this book was okay, but not as good as I was hoping it would be.
Thanks for reading!
Caden
Really enjoyed this one. Setting was unique, characters were believable, and that ending!! I would have liked a *bit* more foreshadowing, but I guess it wouldn’t have been such a crazy twist.
Reread:
Rereading before I (finally) read the sequel. It's such a good book. I love Thorley's similes and just writing style in general. Really curious to see where the story goes.
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I got this in a LitJoy Crate and I am SO glad. I don't know if I would have discovered it or read it so quickly if I hadn't and that would be a crying shame. This book is so lovely, the characters so real, the worldbuilding so lush and fascinating. I honestly don't have a single nitpick. The pacing was perfect, the character development realistic - just everything about it was so wonderful. One of my favorite reads of the year so far.
Rereading before I (finally) read the sequel. It's such a good book. I love Thorley's similes and just writing style in general. Really curious to see where the story goes.
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I got this in a LitJoy Crate and I am SO glad. I don't know if I would have discovered it or read it so quickly if I hadn't and that would be a crying shame. This book is so lovely, the characters so real, the worldbuilding so lush and fascinating. I honestly don't have a single nitpick. The pacing was perfect, the character development realistic - just everything about it was so wonderful. One of my favorite reads of the year so far.
I've never read a retelling of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. But I am thoroughly impressed with Addie Thorley's Night Spinner. Enebish is a monster. After destroying a caravan of innocent people with her dark night magic, she is disfigured and sent to live a traitorous and lonely life in a monastery. But her life changes yet again when her stepsister offers her the opportunity to be reinstated as a warrior if Enebish captures a deserter in the midst of a war. But when she leaves the monastery, she discovers that the war is a lot worse than she thought and she's not sure who to trust anymore.
This book is chock full of twists and turns, and I honestly didn't see hardly any of them coming. I loved Enebish as a character because she is an ugly, maimed traitor—you don't see this a lot in YA fiction. Enebish was refreshing, and I learned and was betrayed right alongside her. Her character arc is strong, and I can't wait to see it fulfilled in the next book.
Speaking of the next book, I need it immediately. Night Spinner took me a couple chapters to get into, but after that it sucked me in and I had to finish it as soon as possible. This is a fantastic story for fantasy and magic lovers, and especially for those who want to see something new in the YA world.
Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4
Thank you, Page Street Publishing, for the ARC!
This book is chock full of twists and turns, and I honestly didn't see hardly any of them coming. I loved Enebish as a character because she is an ugly, maimed traitor—you don't see this a lot in YA fiction. Enebish was refreshing, and I learned and was betrayed right alongside her. Her character arc is strong, and I can't wait to see it fulfilled in the next book.
Speaking of the next book, I need it immediately. Night Spinner took me a couple chapters to get into, but after that it sucked me in and I had to finish it as soon as possible. This is a fantastic story for fantasy and magic lovers, and especially for those who want to see something new in the YA world.
Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4
Thank you, Page Street Publishing, for the ARC!
A retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame... sign me up. The Night Spinner sucked me in right from the get go. There was so much action, twists and turns I didn’t see coming, lies, betrayal, and of course a bit of romance woven in. The story follows Enebish from her banishment for her losing control of her magic to her search and capture of the rebel Temujin with a lot of fun in between. I absolutely loved this book and did not want it to end. Another 5
