Title Night Spinner
Author Addie Thorley
Description from Amazon
Before the massacre at Nariin, Enebish was one of the greatest warriors in the Sky King’s Imperial Army: a rare and dangerous Night Spinner, blessed with the ability to control the threads of darkness. Now, she is known as Enebish the Destroyer―a monster and murderer, banished to a monastery for losing control of her power and annihilating a merchant caravan.
Guilt stricken and scarred, Enebish tries to be grateful for her sanctuary, until her adoptive sister, Imperial Army commander Ghoa, returns from the war front with a tantalizing offer. If Enebish can capture the notorious criminal, Temujin, whose band of rebels has been seizing army supply wagons, not only will her crimes be pardoned, she will be reinstated as a warrior.
Enebish eagerly accepts. But as she hunts Temujin across the tundra, she discovers the tides of war have shifted, and the supplies he’s stealing are the only thing keeping thousands of shepherds from starving. Torn between duty and conscience, Enebish must decide whether to put her trust in the charismatic rebel or her beloved sister. No matter who she chooses, an even greater enemy is advancing, ready to bring the empire to its knees.
Release Date February 11, 2020
Initial Thoughts
I was really excited to read this book. The first picture on my Bookstagram was of An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley (it’s not my best picture 😂) but, I love her writing so I wanted to read her next book. Oddly, I didn’t preorder this one so this was a quarantine delivery. I actually had to leave it waiting in the box for a few days (one of my neighbors in my building has this nasty cough, and it just sounds like he isn’t covering his mouth), so as a precaution, I had to air the box out before I touched it.
Some Things I Liked
- OOOOOOH those plot twists. Every chapter left me spinning (see what I did there 😉). I had no idea who I was rooting for, who’s side I was on, or what was going to happen next. All I knew was that I loved Enebish’s character and I wanted her to succeed with whateve she chose.
- Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling. This is a brand new one for me. I’ve read a ton of retellings, but none for this story. I’ll be totally honest, it’s not my favorite of the classic Disney movies. However, since Addie Thorley was writing, I was going to read it. Honestly, she could write a retelling of anything, and I’d want to read it. I loved the unique spin she gave this classic tale.
- Darkling vibes. I will not go so far to say that I was #teamDarkling while reading the original Grisha trilogy (though that may change now that Ben Barnes is playing him in the TV adaptation) but, I really loved that a certain character plays as a really charismatic villain. I also love that with great villains, there is always a level of moral ambiguity. We got so much of that in this story! So much greyness, so many people questioning their actions.
Series Value
I can’t wait for the next book. This book left me with so many unanswered questions but, it didn’t leave me frustrated. For example, if I had read Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas without having Kingdom of Ash waiting for me, I would have lost it. Night Spinner neatly closed the chapter of a certain portion of the story leaving me wanting more but not wanting to bash my head into a wall with frustration.
Final Thoughts
I really loved this book. I can’t say that I’m surprised. I loved Addie Thorley’s first book and I loved the concept behind this book. I am also a sucker for a charismatic villain.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley – if you liked the writing style in Night Spinner definitely check out Addie’s debut novel. It’s an amazing historical fiction story about Paris in the late 1700s.
- Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova – if you liked the world building and main characters in Night Spinner try this new release. It is coming out next week.
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – as mentioned, this book has a character who gives off serious Darkling vibes. Check out the Grisha series if you haven’t already.
Books Over Everything 