This was so wonderful! The hallmark of a good genre book to me is if you’re not sure everyone will get an HEA even if it’s convention which Vedder nails in this. I loved the way things wrapped up and I wish more people read these books! They’re so fun! Plus, I love that the two main characters have their strong friendship and their love interests outside of each other.

I requested this for consideration for Book Riot's All the Books podcast for its release date. After sampling several books out this week, I decided to go with a different book for my review.

Great finale! It had me going back and forth wondering how it was going to end. Yall got me with that memory twist.

Excellent addition to the Bone Spindle series. This entire series is really well paced and the characters are loveable, absolutely perfect for a 14-18 reading age in my opinion.
The stress that built as characters were kept from each other and fought fantastic challenges to be together was action packed! If this became a TV series I would watch it, it felt MADE FOR TV!
Of note- this one gets a little darker than the others, but that it what I actually liked the BEST. These characters have been through a ton, and while the first book felt very storytale-ish, this felt much more epic fantasy. I loved watching this series grow!

This book was truly amazing. It was a GREAT conclusion to this trilogy, and I loved being able to follow these characters through their journeys and adventures.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC.

While this is a very good cross-genre series as a whole, I felt like this book was probably my least favorite of the trilogy. While the last book in a series does often tend to be mostly action, as it’s the end of a whole plotline, I felt like this one was missing the character dynamics of the series as a whole, and the fact that one of the characters is basically possessed the whole time doesn’t help. And at the end, the story does try to bring some of the conflict back, of Fi and Briar thinking they can’t be together, it was done in a very afterthought way, after the main conflict of the story has already been resolved, and doesn’t last very long and has too convenient of a solution.

"The Cursed Rose" wraps up the Bone Spindle trilogy with a bang. In this thrilling conclusion, Fi, Shane, Red, and Briar face their toughest challenges yet as they battle the formidable Spindle Witch to save Andar. With a mix of magic, mystery, and heart-pounding action, Vedder delivers a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers wanting more. If you're a fan of fantasy adventures with unforgettable characters and plenty of twists, this series is a must-read.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for the chance to read this gorgeous and brilliant book in exchange of an honest review.

The one formidable group set on fighting to reawaken the kindgom is ruined thanks to the Spindle Witch. Briar is a monster, Fi a captive, Shane a warrior and Red a traitor. Now Fi is a prisoner and the Spindle Witch is close to find the Siphoning Spell and crushing Andar, with Fi's help and her only way of survive is to decode the ancient riddle of the Rose Witches. Before she loses Briar forever. On the other side Shane is desperate to save Andar and Red. Looking the weapon used by the Lord of Butterflies, the key to the Spindle Witch's death. But Red's betrayal left her weakened and now she has to face the Witch's executioner, the Wraith, a powerfyl witch and a cruel one. As the future of Andar lies in the secrets of the past, Shane and Fi have to take on the lost ruin of the Tomb of Queen Aurora.

This saga is definitely one of my favourite of all time. A mix between Sleeping Beauty and Indiana Jones and a genderswapped one, too. With a sprinkle of sapphic Red Riding Hood and I thinks it's brilliant. This last installment is incredible and ties everything in a perfect knot. With new enemies, like the cruel Wraith, new clues and mysteries and new secrets that could help everyone and Andar this book is filled with twists and surprises and it's really a rollercoaster. You can't not want to cheer these characters on. They have been and still are in this book, through enough and they are fighting to save Andar and their loved ones. I love these characters and their fierce love for one other, complex and layered love, between betrayals, broken promises, curses and so much more.
This conclusion is heartfelt and incredible. I'm gonna miss them all so much.

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Leslie Vedder

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

Book Review of The Cursed Rose (The Bone Spindle #3) by Leslie Vedder

Cover Story: Slayer Vibes
BFF Charms: Platinum x2
Talky Talk: Adventure!
Bonus Factors: Character Growth, Witches
Factor: TEABS
Relationship Status: Forever and Ever, Amen

Red alert! The Cursed Rose is the third book in the Bone Spindle series. If you have not read the other books in the series (The Bone Spindle and The Severed Thread), man your battle stations turn away now, as there might be spoilers in this review. If you’re caught up, however, feel free to continue below.

Cover Story: Slayer Vibes
When I see this cover, all I can see is Buffy, Willow, and Tara. Everyone has different hair colors, but I mean …

The Deal:
Filore’s a prisoner of the Spindle Witch. Shane and Red are stuck in a temporary camp with the folks of Everlynd, tiptoeing around their “relationship.” Briar’s not so slowly turning into a skeleton monster who only listens to the Spindle Witch. All told, things aren’t looking to great for the intrepid adventurers, but if anyone can figure out a way out of their various predicaments, it’s Fi and Shane.

BFF Charm: Platinum x2
Although Fi and Shane already have a Platinum relationship between themselves, if I could wheedle my way into that friendship, I would in a hot second. They’re both such badasses, with brains and brawn. They’re smart, funny, loyal (but unafraid to call each other out), dedicated, and passionate. They’re exactly the kind of people I’d want on my side if I were facing a similar predicament, and they’re exactly the kind of people I’d want to be BFFs with.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7
It’s hard for Fi and Briar to have a relationship when he’s slowly turning into a skeleton monster with red eyes, bony wings, and claws; and Red and Shane are up to their old antics of not entirely believing that the other’s in it for the long run. But this isn’t a story without a happy ending. I’ll leave it at that.

Talky Talk: Adventure!
I’ve talked about this in previous reviews of this series, but I love how well Vedder depicts the Indiana Jones-like adventures of treasure hunters Fi and Shane. Even when they’re at odds, they work together like they’ve been doing it their whole lives, and they both bring specific characteristics to the table that mesh so well together.

“It’s okay,” she rasped. “I think there’s something in here—feels like a lever.”

Well, that was luckier than Fi has any right to be. Shane balled up her coat, tossing it angrily aside.

“I’m thinking of revoking your position as the brains of this operation.” … “Your list of offenses is mounting,” she said, fixing her partner with a hard look.

Bonus Factor: Character Growth
One of the secondary characters grows a lot in this book, and although we don’t see their entire experience, it’s wonderful to see how they come into their power. I’d love to read more about them and their future adventures. (‘Cause I’m sure there are more adventures for everyone to come, even though the series is over.)

Bonus Factor: Witches
There is a large variety of witches in this series, and they run the gamut from Wicked Witch of the West to Glinda. They’re a fascinating group of people, and their history/hierarchy/organization is something I’d also love to read more about. (I just want more from this world, what can I say?)

Factor: TEABS
I never know whether TEABS (The End of an Awesome Book Syndrome) is a net positive or net negative. On the one hand, I got to spend three whole books with Fi and Shane and the rest of the great characters in this series, but on the other—I’ll never again get to experience a new adventure with them. (I assume. I could be wrong!) I will miss this series very much, but I’m better for having read it.

Relationship Status: Forever and Ever, Amen
Thanks for an amazing time, Book. We had such fun, even while running for our lives. I’m not nearly as smart or strong as the characters in your stories, but you made me wish I was so that I, too, could save Andar (and the world). This isn’t goodbye!

This story was fun and action filled. It was magical and heart racing. There was love, friendship, wickedness, humor and everything that makes a story readable. I adored this book and its ability to make me laugh. It’s definitely YA however so it wasn’t as impacting as I’d hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, all thoughts are my own!

The Cursed Rose begins with Fi and Shane separated. Fi is desperate to free Briar (and herself) and defeat the Spindle Witch. Shane is desperate to kiss Red, I mean, free Fi and defeat the Spindle Witch.

Going into the book, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Fi and Shane being separated, because a lot of what I loved about the earlier books was their banter with each other. So I was definitely glad when both of their plotlines directed them toward a team up to explore the Tomb of Queen Aurora. Even if I was screaming at them to talk to each other the entire time. But if they did, they wouldn't be the boneheads I spent the past two books falling in love with.

What I loved most about this conclusion is that it wasn't dropping massive worldbuilding elements in this installment, but rather expanded and twisted things we'd already been introduced to as the prepared for the final showdown with the Spindle Witch.

Overall this was an excellent conclusion to an amazing series! 4.75/5

The Cursed Rose in the final enchanting installment of The Bone Spindle trilogy. I absolutely adore this series and cannot recommend it enough. These books have become a comfort read for me and I will definitely read them again and again.

The thrilling finale picks up after the events of The Severed Thread. Fi has been taken prisoner by the Spindle Witch and forced to help her gain access to some ancient spells that could make her even more powerful. With the threat of the Spindle Witch hurting Briar if she doesn’t comply with her orders, Fi uses her wits to stay just a few steps ahead of the witch.

Meanwhile , Shane and Red are back in the Everlynd camp trying to come up with a plan to rescue Fi and stop the Spindle Witch. Red has been labeled a traitor, so the people of Everlynd are not kind to her. When Shane sets out to find a powerful heirloom of Queen Aurora’s that could be a key to defeating the Spindle Witch once and for all, Red tags along against Shane’s wishes.

Soon Shane and Fi are reunited, but when Fi tries to protect Shane it ends with disastrous results. Fi knows if she tells Shane what her plan is to defeat the witch, that Shane will not like it and try to stop her. Their very partnership is at stake. With the fate of the entire kingdom at stake, the girls have to determine what is most important to them.

This book was fantastic. I love the world building in this series. The character development was wonderful too, and I really came to love all of these characters. If you love fairy tale retellings with a diverse cast of characters, then this series should be on your TBR!

Fantastic conclusion to a fun series! It's an entertaining romp that feels like Indiana Jones meets magical fairytale, with friendship, romance, curses, evil witches, and twists. I thought this was a satisfying conclusion that wraps up the main story arc but leaves our characters to go off on more adventures. I would love to see more people pick this up and it's a series that you could easily hand to teenagers from 13 to 18. Really enjoyed this! Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy, all opinions are my own.

Female Indiana Jones x Male Sleeping Beauty with a bit of a Beauty and the Beast and Little Red Riding Hood mixed in!

For a final book in the trilogy, this book covered a lot of ground. There was a lot of lore/history, a lot of character development, and a lot of loose ends being tied up. (And I mean that in more than one way!)

I appreciate the action in this book. There was still a treasure hunt, still a puzzle or two to be solved, and still a great battle scene. I loved every plot point that was uncovered, including the softer moments.

What kept this from being a five-star was the banter between characters. Something felt different in this book. Maybe it had to do with Briar being unlike himself? But even Perrin and Shane were really weighed down with their serious situations... It made it more challenging to read the dialogue as a result. (Fun banter makes it easier to read for me. Unlike serious conversations. Nothing wrong with them! Just slows down the process.)

I do wish I knew more of what came of Shadow. It seemed a bit open ended, though I suspect I know what happened. In general, do note that Cinzel and Shadow do get hurt in this book. (They're Red's wolves.)

All in all, it was a wonderful ending to the trilogy. I'm so glad I gave Bone Spindle a try! If you are at all interested in a gender-reversed Indiana Jones and Sleeping Beauty, then pick this series up!

I loved this first two and this one was a brilliant blend of returning to an old friend while digging deeper. This world is fascinating, the curse and layers within it are brilliantly built, and the characters still put a smile on my face from start to finish with their whit and determination.

If you loved Indiana Jones as a kid and find yourself devouring fairytale retellings, this is a brilliant series for you. Of all the fairytale retellings I have read this series is by far my favorite.

It has action, romance, magic, and humor to bind them together. From start to end I found it to be the perfect conclusion for this amazing series that keeps you guessing until the last page.

I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!

* Thank you NetGalley & Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

The Cursed Rose is the final book in the Bone Spindle trilogy, and we find our characters just a few days/weeks where we last saw them in The Severed Thread: Briar Rose has been turned into a monster, Fi is trapped in the Spindle Witch's tower in order to save him, Red is battling her personal demons, and Shane is trying to save her friends and their kingdom at the same time.

The Cursed Rose is a great book - but I have to be honest, there's a reason it took me a whole week to read this book. It was not nearly as engaging as the first two books. Book 2 left off on an epic cliffhanger, but book 3 started and I just felt... more meh about it than I had anticipated. I didn't know at first what it was that bothered me, and I don't want to spoil it too much, but if you've read book 2 you know Fi and Shane are currently separated at the end of book 2, and I realized: I liked the friendship aspect of book 1 and 2. The partnership, the adventures, it was so FUN seeing Shane and Fi race against the clock together. To have them not actively together was a little disappointing.

It's a good book, though, and a great ending to a really fun series.

The fate of a cursed kingdom rests on ancient secrets, broken promises, and fierce friendships in this gasp-worthy final book of the bestselling twisted fairytale Bone Spindle series.

An excellent ending to a wonderful trilogy! Loved the characters and the world-building and the overall atmosphere and plot.

I absolutely adored the ending of this trilogy!

Getting to read the final battle and everything that has led up to the moments that happen in this journey has been so satisfying. I love these characters. You see Red, Shane, Fi, Briar, Perrin and the Paper Witch all go through some form of transformation and it is so interesting to read about. I loved reading about the romance, friendship and family dynamics within the story and how these characters have built strong relationships.

I laughed, I cried and I can’t believe this is the last book.

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for the e-arc.

I really enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, and I was so excited to get the final installment!

The fight against the Spindle Witch comes to a conclusion as both Fi and Shane concoct desperate plans to save the realm from the witch’s draining magic.

I think the absolute strongest points of these books are the relationships. I adored the friendship between Shane and Fi and would honestly read a whole series of the two of them Indiana Jonesing their way through the realm of Andar. Their bickering and teasing, paired with their understanding of each other and trust was an absolute delight. And while both romantic relationships formed too fast for me initially, we really get some time to settle in to them.

And I loved the further exploration of the world Andar. More of the magic, more of the people, it was such fun. And the deeper knowledge of the Spindle Witch was absolutely fascinating.

I do think that, with the cliffhanger ending of book two, paired with a lot of flashbacks that felt mostly unnecessary, all three books could have been trimmed down a bit and made a really solid duology. But on the whole, this one was definitely my favorite of the whole trilogy and I am really excited to see what comes next from Vedder!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to review this arc!