A unique retelling that was absolutely magical. The world building was fantastic and the character development was a joy.

Gender swapped magical retelling of 'The Hunchback' that's all you really need to know to dive into this amazing book.

Our MC is brilliant and the prose is so smoothly laid out that reading this book takes almost no time at all. Thorley drops you into a beautiful world full of conflict, pain, and magic. 

'En' is locked up, for the safety of herself but also for the innocent civilians, why? Because once upon a time she was a great Kalima warrior and then one moment change that and she became known as a Destroyer, someone who slew instead of protecting the people of the kingdom.

Luckily for En her adopted older sister saved her from death and now she leads a life quite different from that of a warrior, not just because of her sentencing but because she came out with injuries that changed her body form that of a warrior.

En has people she loves, not just those close to her but the people their Sky King is supposed to protect and she realizes she cannot hide away if they're in danger but does that mean working with her Sister's nemesis to save them?

I don't want to give too much away and I'll do a full review on my blog, but this book was amazing and sure to be one of my favorite releases of 2020.

So this is being marketed as a retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame because its heroine is damaged, scarred and considered a monster. Indeed she's frequently referred to as the Destroyer and as the story begins she's living (or should that be existing ? ) in the monastery that's she's been banished to by their King. Enebish doesn't really remember losing control of her formidable powers and wiping out innocents but she knows that she deserves her punishment. The only bright spark in her restricted world is Serik, her adopted brother and her sister who offers her a chance to redeem herself but what if the cost is too high ?
This was an enthralling, magical read and I had so much empathy for Enebish as she's steadfast and really only trying to do the right thing. Enebish absolutely adores her adopted sister Ghoa and clearly would do anything for her. Serik is joyously irreverent and I loved that he always tried to protect her. I'm reluctant to give too much away as the twists when they come are both shocking and heartbreaking. Enebish and the journey she took from shy, self depreciating to full out strong, selfless heroine kept me glued to the page. I'm very excited to read more from this author and I'm left thinking what really makes a monster ?
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Night Spinner is a completely new world, one that I’ve never experienced. As a centuries-old war rages between Ashkar and Zemya, Enebish, a Night Spinner and former Kalima warrior, is imprisoned in a monastery for her crimes. When Temujin, the leader of the Shoniin, rescues her, her sister, the commander of the Kalima, recruits her to infiltrate the Shoniin and turn Temujin over to the Imperial Army. Though injured, Enebish infiltrates the Shoniin and discovers that things aren’t what they seem in the empire, her life, and the Shoniin. The world-building in the novel is incredible. Addie Thorley has created an amazing world that has its own mythology, traditions, culture, and history. As the story unfolds, you learn more about Ashkar, Enebish, and the Shoniin. With a gripping story, many twists and turns, and beautiful imagery, Thorley’s story is truly a unique experience that I can’t recommend enough.

Once, Enebish was a highly lauded warrior for the king’s army.
She was gifted with the rare power of night spinning; drawing down threads of the night sky, conjuring the cloak of darkness and the fiery stars and bending them to her will.

2 years later, she’s a broken shell of a girl; having become the most hated and notorious monster in the land, because while she doesn’t remember it, she committed a horrendous act. She lost control on a mission and it resulted in a massacre of innocent lives. Gone is “Enebish The Warrior”. Now she is known only as “Enebish The Destroyer.”

The only reason she was spared death was due to the negotiations of her adoptive sister Ghoa, whom has since risen high up in the ranks in the king’s army. 

It’s agreed she may live as the trainer of the royal birds, but ALONE, locked away, in complete isolation. 
So she spends her days enduring the blatant hatred from those she does encounter, finding comfort in her only companion, Orbai the bird, and the occasional visits from her childhood friend Serik. He is the only other human who seems to see the good in her. 

Until one day the tables are turned when Ghoa presents her with an opportunity: a group of rebel deserters are blatantly defying the king and recruiting an army. Their leader, Temujin, has become more than just an annoyance and needs to be stopped. 
If Enebish can infiltrate the group—spy, and trap Temujin— Ghoa will convince the king to release Enebish and reinstate her into the Kalima Army.

Enebish, while broken, filled with regret, and afraid of her own monstrous tendencies, decides she wants nothing more than to redeem herself, not only for the public, but for herself as well. 

But once she leaves the prison of the tower she is faced with a bigger decision: the truth is subjective, and will she even care about redemption once she gets a taste of freedom?

I actually really enjoyed this book! First off, this was the first book that was able to keep me engaged since I got lasting brain trauma (AKA trying to read on the struggle bus express) in October. So that’s a pretty big deal. 

This had the adventure, the emotional pull, the atmosphere was easy to picture, the descriptions were extremely detailed and it seemed like they happened quite frequently, which helped keep me “in the moment.”
Also, I myself am not a fan of too much lusty love/overt attraction stuff, especially when it’s right in the midst of an action/conflict plot, so I was super pleased with how everything was played out in this one. 

So the basics are covered, and I want to discuss my favorite aspect of the book.
 I loved how we finally have a character that’s broken and insecure and doesn’t magically become a bulletproof badass overnight. 
This is a girl who spent countless days and nights in isolation with nothing but her guilt and the cruelty of others to beat her down and condition her to not only hate, but ultimately fear herself.
A protagonist that shows transparency and takes us on that struggle not only through the physical transformation but also the battlefield of the mind is my favorite type. 

There are multiple layers to the internal struggles Enebish encounters throughout the book, and she navigates them all by intuition alone. 
I’m sure there will be people saying she was too naive, didn’t think things through, whatever, but I honestly think that points even more to her frame of mind/self esteem and the evolution it takes. 
I think it’s silly to expect all heroes to behave one way. Not all female heroes will be hardcore, take-the-lead, confident types. 
Some will believe they are little, they can’t, they aren’t worthy;  maybe they will let themselves be swayed or lied to or tricked a bit. 
But when it counts the most, they’ll listen to themselves.

It’s those critical tiny decisions that make the victory in the story. I just love a victory, whether it be a loud one or a silent (but no less important) one.  

Anyways, I’ve already recommended this to a few people, and I’m excited that this appears to be part of a series. I also gave it 5 stars, I really truly enjoyed reading this one. 

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t know how much I needed this book until I read it. I ended up become so invested in Enebish’s story that I found it almost impossible to put down. This is the first book I’ve read by Addie Thorley and it most certainly will not be the last. Her writing style is beautiful and the world she has created is beyond amazing and magical that I already cannot wait to read the next book in the series. 

The character development in this book is spot on, especially with Enebish who ends up being a strong yet incredibly relatable character. Enebish is not your typical heroine but that made me love her even more. 

The twist in this book was absolutely perfect and I honestly did not see it coming. I had doubts on the character involved but never to that extent! I was blown away and honestly just needed more once the book was over!

Night Spinner is a beautifully written re-telling of Hunchback of Notre Dame and is the first in a new series by Addie Thorley. I definitely recommend giving this book a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

For the sake of argument, I am pretending the first half of the book does not exist in this review. The characterization improved greatly and also the world-building as the story progressed. I still find it funny that the main love interest is not mentioned in the blurb, but is a major part of Enebish's decision making.
Although, I do have to say that I think the mantle of "woe is me" has been passed from Bella Swan to Enebish because I have never seen a girl act the way Enebish does. I loved the little bits that were like the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" because it made the story. There were a couple of twists that I didn't see coming, which intrigued me. The ending had me wanting more and has made me curious to see what will happen in the second book.
4 out of 5 stars.
(If you are curious to know what I would give it with the first half of the book, you can check out my review here: https://bookgirlreviewsbooks.blogspot.com. I might be a little brutal, but I could not stand the first half of the book.)

This book was incredible! This story is full of magic, mythology, and betrayal. The main character, Enebish can control the darkness. She is banished to a far away monastery after losing control and destroying a merchant caravan with her abilities. Her sister, Ghoa, is the commander of the Sky King's army and essentially saved Enebish by having her banished instead of being put to death. Enebish is recruited by Ghoa to help track down a rebel leader. This story is amazing and I highly recommend it.

This is an excellent retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. There is some great world-building and some twists that I didn't foresee. Teens who love YA fantasy filled with magic, mythology, and adventure will not want to miss this one.

To begin, I have not read The Hunchback of Notre Dame, though I've seen the Disney adaptation several times. That said, it was evident pretty early on which story this was adapting, and that foreknowledge took away the impact of several intended surprises and plot twists simply because it was easy to figure out which characters were which and then to know how they would behave over the course of the book. So the best audience for this book is probably people who have somehow achieved adolescence without watching or reading The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Everyone else will go in with spoilery foreknowledge that seriously detracts from author Addie Thorley's attempt to make the story interesting and engaging.

It wasn't having prior knowledge of the characters and plot which made this story less than gripping, however. On page 36 I called the plot twist which was revealed on page 312. Some of that was probably a familiarity with the genre on my part, but it was still a little disappointing to be proven right on that one. I would have liked to see Enebish actually be the monster she's reputed to be. But I guess that's just more of the book being predictable. Like how it's made clear early on that Enebish and Serik (and Ghoa) aren't really related, laying the groundwork for a future romance that experiences about half a chapter of tension following a festive dance scene. Points, I suppose, for not forcing a love triangle, but the fact is I spent most of this book uninvested in the characters to the point where any time a betrayal or reversal happened I didn't much care.

Maybe my lack of investment was because of the present tense narration. I really don't care for present tense narration. But I think a little bit of it came from wondering about halfway through why they were making any sort of effort to fight off the enemy country's invasion attempts when their own king was so bad. Would enemy rule really be much worse? Apparently other characters had my same thoughts, setting up yet another betrayal for poor Enebish, who is astonishingly credulous, and possibly just unintelligent. (I mean, this is the girl who is given the advice "use the head" right after having her attention called to a ram's head symbol and thinks to hersef that she should start looking at hoods, hats, and headscarves. Not really the brightest crayon in the box.)

So this was a really, really predictable book, but it had its good points. I like the Mongolian-ish setting. (I assume it's Mongolian - Temujin was Genghis Khan's childhood name and Borte is a Mongolian name, plus the Mother Sky, Father Earth belief is part of the Mongolian belief system.) I also liked the expression "Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars." That was a good line. But some other linguistic choices were less pleasing. I read the word "batto" in relation to swordsmanship, which I think is a Japanese term and so a little jarring in the pseudo-Mongolian setting. Additionally, one of the characters used air quotes and the text actually described the gesture as air quotes, and that took me right out of the story because, linguistically, many cultures do not use quotation marks to indicate speech in written text, so they probably would not have developed an air quotes gesture. Though I guess it could be something specific to the culture Thorley has developed that when someone is speaking something they disbelieve they make some sort of gesture to indicate that they know they're not speaking the truth but not trying to mislead their interlocutor in so doing and it might even take the form of air quotes. But it almost certainly wouldn't be called "air quotes," and that bothered me disproportionately.

All in all, I wouldn't have a hard time recommending this book to people who were looking for an interesting setting or a retelling that's not just rehashing Grimm or Perrault or Andersen, but I'd say Tara Sim's retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, Scavenge the Stars , was a better read overall.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Addie Thorley begins a new young adult fantasy series with Night Spinner. Marketed as a Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling, Thorley introduces a magic system that is sure to please fans of the Grishaverse. Our titular Night Spinner is Enebish, a girl who was once a warrior in the Imperial Army. After losing control of her power, causing a massacre, and gaining the cognomen "the Destroyer", Enebish is sequestered in a monastery. Her foster sister, Ghoa, is an Ice Herald and becomes Commander of the Kalima (magically-gifted) portion of the Imperial Army. Enebish is surviving with the mental and physical scars from the day of the massacre when her sister comes to her with an offer. Infiltrate the rebellion called the Shoniin. Lead to the capture of the notorious criminal Temujin. Earn a pardon and reinstatement as a warrior. 

Thorley manages to balance fast paced action with character development. I found myself very much invested in both Serik and Temujin, and enjoyed the way she introduced Kartok and his place in the story. Enebish came across as inherently good-natured, if naive, and was an accessible and relatable narrator. While I didn't exactly like Ghoa(nor do I think I was meant to), her ambition and manipulative tendencies were well-written.

This story was good fun, and it was easy to identify various roles being fulfilled from Hunchback. I understand that retellings are the fad of the moment, and this one is done well. But I almost wish it hadn't been marketed as a retelling, but evolved to stand on its own merit. It was a very quick read, and a solid introduction to a series. I do find myself eager to read the next installment, and am excited for how the story will grow outside of the Hunchback framework.

Two years ago, Enebish was an elite fighter -- able to conjure darkness at will, whisper messages through the night -- until she lost control of her power and killed innocent people. She doesn't remember anything about that night, but now she lives a life of fear and despair. When Enebish is given a chance to redeem herself, she is resolute in her success, but as she learns more about the outside world, she questions her truth.

Night Spinner is a beautifully written re-telling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, full of dynamic characters, reverent devotion and compelling action. Readers will hungrily root for Enebish, and immediately demand more in the series!

Enebish is an interesting character. She is not the typical heroin we have been getting in books as she used to be a fierce warrior but was scarred and labeled and outcast for something terrible she did and now is an intimidated, scared girl just trying not to be noticed. She is trying to be a worthy and get back into the good graces of the king which leads her on a quest of truth and discovering the lies she has been believing about herself.

What a rich book full of magic, a culture of gods and mythology. I was definitely interested from the beginning and only took two days to read this. I found it to be pretty well paced and was actually surprised in a couple parts. I totally called one of the plot twists from the beginning so when it happened I wasn't surprised. Only 20 or so pages later though I was completely blind sided by a big twist! I totally didn't see it coming and loved being surprised by what the author did. 

I really liked this and can't wait to read the next one!

If you read the notes in my Kindle from this book you'll easily see how invested I was in this book and it's characters 😂

I felt my heart break too many times. TOO. MANY. TIMES. DAMMIT. 😭 but it was so beautifully written and thought out that you can't help but be crushed. 

The characters are brilliant and complex and heartbreaking. Things aren't black and white but all sorts of shades of grey and just phenomenal to read about. 

The plot is fast paced action, sudden heartbreaking twists, empowering heroics and quiet moments of inner strength. It's honestly one of my favorite books and actually reminds me of a blend of a few of my favorites including Nevernight, the grisha trilogy and children of Blood and bone. If you're a fan of those series I think you'll find something in Night Spinner you'll love. Keep in mind it's wonderfully unique so it won't be exactly the same but I think fans of those series will appreciate this book.

Honestly, read it. I was planning a tumbler to be made by my favorite tumbler lady until a plot twist shattered that and now I need a new piece of fandom artwork to represent just how much I love this book and hopefully series! 

Review will be live on instagram and facebook next week (January 12-18)

An excellent fantasy to add to your shelves. Addie Thorley has developed captivating magic, vivid settings, a killer twist, and perfectly broken characters. I especially loved seeing Enebish evolve from a character who thought she was beyond redemption and happiness to a strong and determined warrior, who's about to go after everything she wants in book 2 (vague to avoid spoilers!)

I... honestly don't know how to rate this book...

See, this was barely a 2.5-star read up until about 80%.
It wasn't even a bad book, I just didn't care at all. I didn't connect to any characters and I did not really care for the whole worldbuilding. The idea was great; I liked the way the Kalima powers worked (and how they weren't endless, like magic in other books often is), I just did not care about the people.
Enebish is a cool main character, I guess. Once a powerful soldier, now called Enebish the Destroyer (a dope nickname, tbh), she bides her time at this monestary. I do not know why everyone thought it was a good idea to let someone with that nickname walk freely among a bunch of monks (even when her superpowers are shut off, she still is a trained soldier), but plot gotta plot, I guess. I also think the author forgot at times that En is supposed to be phyically handicapped due to battle scars. At first, she limps everywhere, but later on she runs places without any staggering. 

I did not care for the plot until sh*t really went down late in the second half, when all the strings came together. If the whole book had been written like those last 20%, this would've been a 4.5 star book. 
But unfortunately, the rest was not that. 
A 3 star rating it is.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC!

This book blew my mind. Night Spinner is an absolutely magical read and I loved every page. It's incredibly well written, descriptive and the world building is fantastic. I like Enebish, the main character, a lot. I especially enjoyed how deeply religious she is, as someone who is very steadfast in their faith I could relate to her, it also isn't something you see very often in fantasy. Above all things I found myself being sucked into the world of Night Spinner. It took a hold of me and didn't let go. And I'm a big fan of plot twists and revelations of which this book has plenty (I did not see any of them coming) 

Five stars for a fabulous read. Put this on your tbr. I cannot wait for the second book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Page Street Kids for approving my request and granting me access to an advanced copy of Night Spinner.

Last year, I completely fell in love with Addie Thorley's An Affair of Poisons, so when I found out that she was coming out with a high fantasy series, I was really excited. It was everything I'd dreamed it to be—and more.

Quick Thoughts
-This is a retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, but in a high fantasy setting. I haven't read the book—my only experience with the story is the Disney movie, which I loved—so I can't say exactly how the books are connected.
-Addie's writing is incredibly gorgeous. I felt completely immersed in the world of Ashkar, in Enebish's thoughts. The same is true in An Affair of Poisons, but I had briefly forgotten—it was a very pleasant surprise.
-The minor characters in this story are so three-dimensional. There were times when I loved them, times I hated them, etc.

Lasting Impressions

Enebish is absolutely one of my favorite characters now. In the beginning, she is scared and restless. It's been two years since she accidentally unleashed her power on innocent people—but she can't remember anything about it. She wants her freedom, but she's scared of hurting people. She wants to see the world, but her injuries hold her back. Her timidity is understandable in the beginning, but her growth by the end of the book is a journey worth every moment.

Her relationships with the other characters are fascinating. She adores her adoptive sister Ghoa, who is commander of the king's army, and would do anything for her. Her best friend, Serik, keeps Enebish on her toes, keeps pushing her. The faith Enebish has for her gods is unique, as religion is often completely avoided in YA fantasy these days. The way these relationships evolve is engaging and interesting—they had me turning the pages faster and faster.

The world building in this book is marvelous. The details Addie uses made me feel as if I was in Ashkar, experiencing both the beauty and the horrors there. And the magic system is so unique! The powers are based on the sky—the sun, rain, hail, and of course, the night. I've never read anything quite like that before, and it fits so well in the world built around it.

There are SO many twists in this book! I'm not going to go into specifics, but I didn't see so many things coming. It was so much fun to read. The plot goes at a good pace, not too fast or slow, and I never felt like the book dragged. It was a real pleasure staying up way too late so many nights to finish this book.

Overall Feelings

I was so, so relieved when I realized that this was the first book in a series. There are so many loose ends that I want to know more about! I will definitely be picking up the next book and recommending this book like crazy.

Enebish is a wounded warrior, accused of murdering innocent merchants as a result of a mission going wrong. A mission that she can’t clearly remember but dreams of often. Exiled to a monastery filled with monks that hate her, only one person is at her side. A boy she’s grown up with since being taken in by a well-off family and Ghoa, her adopted sister who was more like a mother growing up. Serik is Ghoa’s cousin and grew up along side her and Enebish. Serik was given to the monastery when he didn’t develop a gift, to keep him from being treated as a second-class soldier in the war.  Serik is the one true friend Enebish has. The one person who stands up to the monks for her. The one who tries the make her see reason.  Also, the one who started the series of events that take place in this book…
I don’t want to give away too many details to this book, but I have to say, the only reason why it didn’t get a five star review is because I figured out a particular part of the plotline, or two. But the end twist was very good. Enebish is a bit naive for a seasoned warrior but perhaps she was simply desperate for a place to belong.
With Intrigue, deceit on all fronts, Night Spinner is a highly entertaining start to a series/duology. I can’t wait until book two come out!

This book was received as an ARC from Page Street Publishing - Page Street Kids in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I found out the story's principal character had a unique name, I immediately had to jump at the chance to read it even without knowing what the main premise was. Night Spinner tells the story of Enebish former ultimate warrior for the Sky King's Imperial Army who is known as the Night Spinner controlling threads of darkness. Enebish looses control of her power and is banished from the army and even worse, is labeled a monster. Enebish will stop at nothing to gain control back even if it means sacrificing the love she cares for the most. All was lost until Enebish's sister Ghoa has an enticing offer to capture the notorious criminal Temujin and be reinstated as the ultimate warrior. Little to her knowing, Temujin is stealing these supplies to keep thousands of people surviving during the war and now Enebish is left to make the ultimate decision that may sacrifice everything including her life. I was so breathtakingly thrilled throughout the book that I was literally holding my breath at times. Fans of Robin Hood and Game of Thrones and even Throne of Ashes will appreciate this book and I know our teen book club will go crazy for it.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.