I lost my kindle and did not get a chance to review this at the time because of this. By the time the kindle issue was sorted it was a bit too late to review this.

Spindle is not a retelling it's Sleeping Beauty's world but in the future. This book is a little hard for me to review because I'm not really sure how I felt about the book. That being said finding Out who the fairies were and seeing how everything played out were interesting. I know I had mixed feelings on Briar sometimes I liked her sometimes she got on my nerves. I loved her relationship with Henry though. Speaking of Henry I just loved him and wished he was in more of the book. Who needed to be in less of the book was Wheeler. Overall I didn't think this was a bad book but it wasn't great either. It was an okay book that I recommend to anyone who likes the tale of The Sleeping Beauty.

I am a huge fan of fairytales. However, I have found more joy in hearing people's retellings of them. For Spindle, Slayton took an interesting perspective on the original and wove a completely different story, that although had some original elements, was different altogether. 

Much of the original story plays a role in this re-telling with little tidbits here and there to connect the two, but when it came down to it, I found myself skimming sections to see if the story picked up at any point. Slayton has a good writing style in all aspects except pacing. I found it easy to digest the historical setting mixed with the fantastical elements of fairies and magic, but the plot moved far too slow to keep me engaged. Often, I set the book aside.

But this is an unusual take on Sleeping Beauty, which I appreciated. I wouldn't say the characters were super interesting or anything, falling into certain tropes, but I liked them well enough. Briar, especially, proved to be a strong heroine who was thoughtful and caring, given a lot in life that wasn't especially happy but handling it all in stride.

This was an interesting re-telling and had some good elements to it but ultimately was an average read, though I'd recommend it to readers who are looking for a different take on Sleeping Beauty!

I grew up loving fairy tales and dreaming of being a princess. Cliché, I know. I've always been fond of books and movies that sort of reinvent the old stories that we've heard a million times. That's part of why I like Spindle so much.

The story focuses on a 16 year old girl named Briarly Rose Jenny, who goes by Briar for short. I'm sure that name rings a bell, if you're familiar with the story of Sleeping Beauty. Briar lost both of her parents and so, to make sure her younger siblings don't get sent to an orphanage, she worked hard every day at a cotton mill. Their house was far enough away that she stayed at a boarding house by the mill, and only saw the children on the weekends. Along with this stress, she was also trying to get over the unexpected dumping she received courtesy of her now ex-boyfriend, Wheeler, while simultaneously putting her best friend, Henry Prince, repeatedly in the friend-zone. Then things get interesting, with the reveal of fairies, magic, and a mysterious spindle that seems too good to be true.

The novel is set sometime in the early 1900s, as evidenced by the cotton mills using child labor and the topic of women's suffrage coming up quite frequently. I'm normally not one to enjoy any sort of historical fiction, realistic or actual, but I found myself really enjoying this one. With the author's beautiful descriptions, it was easy (and yet at the same time, difficult) to imagine living in that time period. We take a lot for granted now-a-days, such as enjoying a care-free childhood and having the right to vote, when not so long ago a lot of people didn't have that luxury. I actually enjoyed the historical bits so much, partly because it was interesting and partly because the author's writing was so good, that I would have enjoyed Spindle even without the fairy tale aspect.

Yet, I was a little disappointed because the fairy tale aspect seemed like sort of a side note, only really becoming pertinent in the second half of the book. The pacing was a bit slow, so while I was enjoying the story overall, I wondered if the spindle would ever fulfill it's deadly destiny. Around the halfway point, the plot really picks up and becomes more interesting, but I'm afraid some readers may not give it the chance it deserves and shelve the book before getting that far.

I got a little frustrated at Briar at times in regards to Henry. I realize she was only 16 and had just gotten out of a very serious relationship. Maybe she was trying to convince herself that she didn't have feelings for him because...why, I'm not sure. Because she had known him so long? Because she didn't think his mother liked her? Because she was still trying to get over Wheeler breaking her heart? I feel like this kind of hurt the overall endpoint of the story, because she spends so much time saying how dependable and stable Henry is, but no part of her thoughts of him are even close to romantic until later in the book. Sometimes people don't realize how much something means to them until they almost lose it, and I think that might have been the key to her epiphany.

Spindle was a fun, magical read and author Shonna Slayton's writing had me hooked from the very first page. The time period and fairy tale elements worked together beautifully, and all of the characters had a lot of depth and charm.

Slayton put an interesting twist on the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty. I immediately grabbed for this book for no other reason than it's a fairy tale re-telling. Set in the late 1800's, we meet Briar who's working to help support her family at a mill. 

Much of the original story plays a role in this re-telling with little tidbits here and there to connect the two, but when it came down to it, I found myself skimming sections to see if the story picked up at any point. Slayton has a good writing style in all aspects except pacing. I found it easy to digest the historical setting mixed with the fantastical elements of fairies and magic, but the plot moved far too slow to keep me engaged. Often, I set the book aside.

Part of this, I think, came from the fact that there simply wasn't enough fantasy for me. Much of the story surrounds the daily lives of Briar and the community around her. This would have been fine if a fantastical element hadn't been introduced into the world, I think, since it came later on. By that point, the stage had been set for a historical novel and combining the two proved to be more jolting than anything.

But this is an unusual take on Sleeping Beauty, which I appreciated. I wouldn't say the characters were super interesting or anything, falling into certain tropes, but I liked them well enough. Briar, especially, proved to be a strong heroine who was thoughtful and caring, given a lot in life that wasn't especially happy but handling it all in stride. 

The world had a lot of character on its own. I loved the crafting of the town and how Slayton provided such beautiful details to give you the sense that you were there. Unfortunately, those same details bogged the plot down and kept the pace slow. 

This was an interesting re-telling and had some good elements to it but ultimately was an average read, though I'd recommend it to readers who are looking for a different take on Sleeping Beauty!

My full review on my blog! http://omgbooksandmorebooks.blogspot.com/2016/10/blog-tour-spindle-by-shonna-slayton.html

Spindle is a continuation of Sleeping Beauty. I was eager about Spindle because of this aspect. I've read many retellings of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella but never Sleeping Beauty. Spindle was an interesting take of the classic tale, intertwining its own unique elements to grow the story. 

I had mixed feelings about this book. I was excited to read Spindle because of the Sleeping Beauty elements but I was left hanging at some parts. It was slow paced and I almost DNF'ed at one point. But the writing was great with an interesting array of characters, I decided to finish Spindle for the sake of knowing what happens in the end.

The one element I liked most was the historical aspects. Spindle is set in the industrial times where the Irish immigrants were considered outsiders. It also encompasses women suffrage, which I found unique.

Overall I liked Spindle. I would say it is more of a continuation of Sleeping Beauty rather than a retelling.

The Cover: The cover for Spindle was very beautiful! A big beautiful flower,  I am guessing a primrose?  But I don't really know.  Amazing cover,  although I did not decide I had to read this book based on the cover at all!
The Plot: I love a good fairy tale retelling,  so I knew I had to read this as soon as I read:
'Set during the Industrial Revolution, Sleeping Beauty's happily ever after isn't the end of the story...'
But let me make clear,  this is no retelling.  And while our sleeping beauty is not Aurora Rose, but Briar Rose,  I fell in love with her, too.  Sleeping Beauty was and always has been my favorite of the fairy tales,  especially since Disney put some very beautiful imagery into their movie.  But Spindle is an amazing story that takes us to a whole new era.  There is now beautiful princess in sight,  no castle and apparently no Prince Charming.  Briar is a spinning girl in the time of cotton mills and when women we're fighting for the vote.
Aside from the very well written fairy tale portion, there was a part to the story that could have been real.  I enjoyed learning about the cotton mills,  the spinner girls and their fight for rights.  So much so that when I was finished reading,  I went online to find information about bobbins,  spindles and frames,  and learned a whole lot more.
Spindle was a beautifully written story that kept me guess the whole way through.
The Characters: Of course, our protagonist, Briar was my favorite right from the start.  But Henry Prince soon became dear to me too.  They were just so wonderful together and even though Briar was so googly-eyed gaga over Wheeler,  I couldn't help but think the Henry would love her more.
While all the character were awesome,  of course this story wouldn't move very well without the supporting characters.  I have to say I absolutely loved our villain!  I really can't say much,  because I don't want to give too much away. The reasons why I love the villain are part of the plot and I want you,  dear reader,  to experience what I felt.
Was It Worth Reading?: Before I answer,  let me tell you that sometimes you read a book and you are hesitant to review it.  And that is not because it was bad,  no,  not at all.  It's because it was so good,  that you are afraid you won't do it justice.  Spindle is one of those books for me.  It was just so good,  that it actually took me a few days to write this.  I loved that it was a sequel,  if you will. I loved that it had it's own historical story to it. I definitely recommend Spindle to readers of and give it 5 out of 5 crossbows.

Spindle was such a fun retelling. The author gave this book a new spin and it kept me guessing as to what would happen and where the book would advance. I was mesmerized with the main character and the twist that was happening. It was mysterious and I was captivated.

I absolutely fell in love with the cover and I knew I had to read this book. Spindle had a lot of potential. I enjoyed the sleeping beauty retelling but at times it took to long to progress. Briar, the main character, was at times good but at times she was a little annoying. She was always second-guessing herself but in the end she proved herself. 

I wanted more of Henry though. He was perfect! In the beginning we meet this awesome and sweet boy. He captivates my heart. He wasn't in it enough. He was a big part of the story and I felt like his absence at times didn't make sense. The other characters were okay but they really didn't play a big part.

Overall this book was okay but if it didn't drag so much hand it included more of the romance aspects it would have been good.

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for giving this book to review.

Spindle is a historical fantasy novel set in the 1890’s, which is about the continuation of the sleeping beauty story. It is fast paced and I read late into the night to find out what was happening next. I felt that the story bogged down in the middle with the suffragettes and Briar wavering about using the spindle.

Briar is protective of her family and feels the weight of responsibility on her shoulders for all of the book. Henry is my favourite character but I wish he was in this book more than he was, he is flirty, dependable, helpful and kind. 

I enjoyed this book and would recommend this book to fans of unusual fairytale retellings.

Spindle is not a retelling it's Sleeping Beauty. At first I had a hard time getting into it. Because I was looking and comparing it to the traditional story. In the end it was different ans well worth the read. 

*** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a true and honest review.***

Briar rose is working hard to make ends meet so that she can keep her three siblings out of the orphanage. An opportunity arises that she can use a magic spindle to make her work go faster at the mill. She takes the chance and girls in the mill start getting sick. Briar is sucked into the reality that fairies are real and she's right in the middle of their tale that started along ago with Aurora also known has sleeping beauty.

In An Oyster Shell - This book was phenomenal.

The Pearls - Historical Fairytales? Who ever heard of such a thing. That's what this author writes. She's written two others that I am going to have to check out Cinderella's Dress and  Cinderella's shoes. Spindle was written in 1890 during the industrial revolution. I loved it. I am not usually a historical fan but you blend it with fairytale and it really works. I enjoyed it immensely. So I am looking forward to reading her other books.

As part of being set in the Industrial Revolution. There was a lot a talk about woman's suffrage and prohibition. It was cool to experience those things in fiction. The reader gets to see the struggles of the characters especially the women who didn't have a lot of rights. It touched on the reality back then that a husband had control over everything voting, the rights to the children. A very different world from what we know. I learned a lot.

The retelling part was great. I love how the author took roots of the original tale and carried it out through the generations. She really made it her own story but it reflected sleeping beauty most magnificently.

The romance was sweet. I liked how she had her eyes on someone but couldn't see what was right in front of her. The romance was unexpected for the character though as the reader you get to see bits of it along the way.

I wanted to love this book, I really did. And I tried to give it a fair chance. To be completely honest, I didn't finish it. I forced myself through the first half of the book but the story moved at such a slow pace that I constantly found myself uninterested in it. The characters were beautifully brought to life but, unfortunately, it wasn't enough for me. I wish I could have continued but I find no reason to force myself through a story that I'm just not feeling when I could be reading something else.

I'm sure a lot of people with love this book, and rightfully so. It paints and absolutely beautiful setting and characters but it just wasn't for me. :(

Orphaned Briar Rose works in a spinning mill, working hard to keep her younger siblings from the same fate.
Briar only has until her seventeenth birthday to secure her future otherwise her siblings could be taken away, so when Briar's wages are reduced she will do anything to save her family, even accept a supposedly magical wooden spindle from a peddler that should increase her work output.
Then some of Briar's workmates start falling ill - is the spindle connected?
Will Briar become ill too?
Is the spindle really magical?

Spindle was an interesting take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. I liked that it was set in the past and that suffrage was mentioned.
Briar was a good, relatable protagonist and I felt sorry for her - her parents were dead and she was having to work hard to look after her siblings.
Henry was a likeable character and I thought he was sweet around Briar.
The plot was mostly good but I lost interest a few times.

Overall this was a unique read but I lost interest at points.

Spindle has absolutely beautiful cover art. Spindle book cover

free copyI am a person who makes judgement about a book based on it’s cover. It’s just like a first impression, you only get one chance to make a good impression. After that initial encounter, you need good substance. Spindle by Shonna Slayton had good substance.

Spindle takes place in 1894, a time when women were finally allowed to work and yet were still not equal in the workplace. That could still be said today, but I’ll stick to the topic of this book. 😉  Young girls and even small children are working in a cotton mill for 6 10-hour days at low wages. They pay rent to live nearby in a boarding house and hope to have even a small amount of money left over for themselves after they send money home to their families. Briarly Rose Jenny, our main character, lives close enough to her home in Sunrise Valley that she’s able to make a long walk home on Saturdays to spend one day with her younger siblings for a day each week. Orphaned and relying on Briar for their support, the three children are cared for by “nanny” while she’s away at the mill. This is the setting for about 40% of the book. Shonna Slayton takes us through the life of a young woman in this time period. We don’t actually see how the famously cursed spindle enters into her life for quite some time.

Briar is desperate to keep her siblings together and only has until her seventeenth birthday to secure enough money for their support, otherwise nanny will leave town and find homes for the kids. After losing her boyfriend and therefore her prospect for a husband and stable future, Briar must find a way to earn more money. She has no options and is downright desperate when the spindle appears before her. The spindle is said to work better than any other and will surely increase her production and wages. She doesn’t realize it’s the cursed spindle which put Aurora to sleep until it’s much too late. Can she avoid the needle that holds such power and appeal to be touched?

An entertaining new spin of a classic tale!

Spinning FrameI enjoyed reading this spin-off of a fairy tale based in a realistic historical setting. An added bonus, Shonna Slayton spares a few pages before her acknowledgements to share her research for this story and the references to true American history. I think the only thing that could of improved this story for me would have been a thorough understanding of a spinning frame. It wasn’t until after I finished that I googled spinning frames. Here’s a visual for you. Now go read!

'Spindle' is a wonderful young adult fairy tale - a twist on the story of Sleeping Beauty. The author does a great job of keeping original parts of the tale in sync with the novel. I liked that it had a lot of the same aspects of the fairy tale, it made it feel familiar and easy to slip into Briar's world. Briar is a fantastic main character for the book. She's raising her three younger siblings on her own after the death of her parents. She works long hours at the mill as a spinner and does other sewing on the side for extra money to help provide for the kids. She's a loving and very devoted sister - it's pretty much her main concern in life. Briar's also practical, down to earth, smart, and hardworking. I found it easy to connect with her early on in the story, and I loved watching her conquer all of the obstacles she comes across.

The story is told from Briar's point of view, so we really get to know her character on a deeply personal level. Her thoughts, dreams, hopes, fears, and everything else are exposed for us to see. The first person point of view is my favorite writing style, and I'm very glad the author chose to use it for the story. I personally think it makes a big difference on how the story effects a reader - and the first person style seems to be the best option, in my opinion. One other part of Briar's character and background is her Irish heritage. I'm part Irish myself, and I liked reading about the different stories Briar had heard from her parents or others from the 'old country.' Some other readers probably won't think twice about this part of the book, but I liked it so much I wanted to at least mention it. All of the other aspects of the story are well done, from the setting and other characters to the plot itself. It felt a bit slow at the beginning, but once things started happening - it picked up speed and had me hooked. I definitely recommend this book to fans of fantasy and fairy tales - it's one you'll want to pick up!

3 Stars.

Spindle was an interesting read, more historical fiction than I had been anticipating, woven through with the fairytale of Sleeping Beauty, but more as a sequel to that tale. I did enjoy Spindle, but there were a few factors which didn't fully work for me, and I discuss them below. 

The characters of Spindle are all really strong. Briar was a wonderful MC and I enjoyed very much being inside her head as she faced the numerous obstacles of life as a mill girl in America during the industrial age (namely, 1894). I found her voice intelligent, thoughtful, selfless, kind and caring. Henry was also a fun addition and a wonderful love interest. My only complaint is that I would have liked for him to be in the story a little more. Briar's siblings were delightful, and Fanny was another cute addition to the cast. Another factor which I really enjoyed about Spindle was the close female friendships of the mill girls in general, but with Briar, Ethel and Mim particularly - I adored all of those interactions and really brightened the story. 

The setting of the cotton mills was fascinating and clearly very well researched, which I always appreciate a lot as a reader. The struggles, exploitation and troubles were clearly expressed in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. 

Now, to the plot. Whilst Spindle, overall, has a solid plot, I can't deny that it is rather... slow. As a reader, we know that the spindle is going to enter the scene at some point so the good 40% plus it took of the book before it turned up was actually a little frustrating, because until then, the book was reading purely as an historical romance, which would have been fine, if that is what I had signed up for. Even once the spindle turned up, not much action was taken by the characters to neutralize the risks, and I found it frustrating. Spindle strolls along at a calm and steady pace, and I found this frustrating and a little boring at times. The story does pick up slightly towards the end, but only a little. That is my main issue with Spindle - I found it so slow and the plot so slow moving that I found it hard to read it at times. 

Before I conclude, I do want to mention the wonderful exploration of women's rights and the women's rights movement of the era - the vote, equality, better working conditions and pay - was a great addition to the story. 

Spindle is a definite recommendation for anyone who enjoys a good historical romance, fairytale retelling/reimagining and a strong cast of characters, keeping in mind that the story is paced more on the slower side. 

*Thank-you to Entangled Teen and Net Galley for this ARC. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review*