Spindles and Thorns: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling (The Society of Roses Book 1) by Melanie Karsak - An ARC Spoiler Free Review.

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Blurb About The Book (As Per Amazon)
Three blessings.
One curse.
A beauty whose life will change forever.
​When Aurora and her twin brother Aubrey were born, a dark mage cursed them: before their eighteenth birthday, the twins would suffer the torment of eternal sleep. Aurora and Aubrey’s parents, being sensible wizards, eviscerated the mage. Unfortunately, dark magic doesn’t go quietly. Aurora and Aubrey were left orphans.
Raised by three half-faerie guardians, the twins’ lives pass unremarkably. Attractive, witty, and in possession of a large fortune, they are the toast of polite society.
But as the twins approach their eighteenth birthday, they will learn that some enchantments aren’t so easily broken.
Spindles and Thorns is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty set in New York Times bestselling author Melanie Karsak’s fairy tale universe. This is a sister series to the Red Cape Society, focusing on the origin story of Agent Rose, but each series can be read independently.

Click The Picture To Pre-Order On Amazon.

Now For The Review

Standalone or series?
Book 1 in The Society Of Roses Series (Apparently this is a spin off from a previous Fairytale series BUT you definitely do not need to have read any of them to read this one).

How did I get this book?
I saw a random post about it in a book group I obviously joined at some point with a signup for the chance at an ARC. As I haven't read or reviewed this author before I was actually quite surprised I got it.

Why did I choose to read this book:  
The blurb really appealed to me (which was why I applied for it in the first place).

Genre:
Dark Fantasy / Fairy Tale Retelling / Historical Fantasy

Who would enjoy this book:  
Fans of Bridgerton and Magic. It pulls from actual History (as well as the fairy tale), and it is super light on the violence, sex, and language. 

And Now To The Review!

First Impressions:
This is a really well crafted novel. The sleeping beauty references start immediately but in a Victorian England setting, with fae. The whole thing has a gothic/steampunk feel, and as a fan of regency romance (I mean OK technically as this hits the Victorian era it isn't actually regency - but I feel that is relatable for more readers), it immediately gave me Colleen Gleason Gardella vibes - which is one of my all time favorite series. 
​
General Review
This book actually captivated me enough to sit and read it in one sitting. There are VERY few authors that can accomplish that, and even fewer new to me authors.  The story pulls from a lot of elements I am familiar with but you definitely don't need to know any of the other works to enjoy this. (It just meant my reading included adding mental notes about the various nods to other authors or stories as I read).  The book manages to have a beautiful gothic feel, without the reliance on violence, sex, or other tropes that could easily have been thrown in.  

Final Thoughts
Although I was able to figure out some of the main plot twists, it in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the story. There is a cliffhanger, but it is more a gateway to book two rather than something leaving you wanting to throw your kindle against the wall. (We all know there are some authors ... Susan Harris ... that would have cut the story pages earlier, resulting in some not very pleasant words).

Rating:
A very unusual 5 stars from me - those new to my blog may not realize how rare it is for a new to me author to earn that. In fact it was the LACK of 5 star review material that really caused me to take a break in the first place from reading new authors. This might be the first book from Melanie Karsak that I have read, but it won't be the last. I already downloaded the first book in the original fairy tale series as it was free on Amazon. If you want to check it out too you can do so HERE. (Please note at the time of the review I have NOT read that one - and my review is strictly in relation to the new series). 

As always let me know what you think in the comments!


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