Spindle and Dagger is a wonderful, dark and incredibly rich historical novel, so well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere, the characters...gosh, I just loved it.

This novel submerges the reader in a landscape so imaginative and detailed that the information of the world building, as complex as it is, never feels forced, and is never difficult to understand or picture in one's mind.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this one! It's the story of Elen whose family is attacked and killed by Invaders. She heals one of them and claims that he can't die as long as he's under her protection.

She has to keep up this like to save herself and while grieving the loss of her family.

Elen's tactics and cunning are really interesting to read about admidst the action. Sometimes it seemed to drag a little but if you keep at it, it so worth it!

This book does have quite a bit of gore and a few mentions of sexual assault.

I was rooting for this book because of the cover. It is beautiful! The thing is, sometimes covers can be deceiving. For me, this had its moments of being a good book but it was overshadowed by the slowness and simplistic plot.

Elen has had a harsh life. Losing a loved one, or two, can have a huge effect on your life. I'm still grieving from a loss from almost a year ago, I couldn't imagine losing two so close. I think that she is a very strong character to deal with that and also being so close to the one who helped start the war that ended with her losses. I just wouldn't have the strength for that. He'd be dead, ha.

Like I said above, this book is very slow. I  have a hard time really connecting with a book that seems to drag on. It makes me not want to pick it up and it takes me a bit to get through. The plot is very simplistic and not much happens that is surprising or makes you want to continue turning the pages.

Overall, it was an okay read. I think if you are a fan of historical fictions, Wales, or a strong female character then this book could be for you.

This book would be great for anyone who likes historical fiction, war, kings and queens, and vengeance. What I personally liked about this book was the relationships Elen created, and how even though she was in tricky, anxiety-inducing situations, she still managed to figure out how to overcome the situation. I also really enjoyed reading about Wales in the 1100s. I have never had the pleasure of doing so! And, the cover is gorgeous. I love the colors and how it is laid out.

The only thing I did not like about this novel was that it was a little slow in some parts. I know I don't like when books are slow, and it can be tough to hold my attention if that's the case. And in that same regard, I believe it may be difficult for some teens to trudge through, especially if they have other things on their mind.

I would not recommend this book for anyone younger than high school. It has a lot of blood, violence, some curse words, and mentions of sexual assault. (The sexual assault is never described, though.)

Spindle & Dagger is a YA historical fiction novel about a girl named Elen. Elen’s home is raided and her little sister is killed. When Elen’s older sister fights back, she is almost killed by the warband’s leader, Owain ap Cadwgan. Elen heals Owain’s wounds and spins a lie saying that he cannot be killed because he has the protection of Saint Elen, as long as he keeps her namesake safe from harm and near him always.
The story is told from Elen’s perspective, and her point-of-view is strong in showing how one wrong move could cause her death. Elen has to pick and choose her battles, and I liked gaining insight to her character and her reasons for doing things. She’s an isolated character despite her “importance” to the warband.
This book is gory with battles and full of researched historical details about the time period. For most of the book, the story was pretty fast-paced with the action. At times, though, I did find the story slowing down with some lulls. The lulls felt necessary though, considering Elen’s need to be calculating with her decisions.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.