The bone spindle by Leslie Vedder

Join the unlikely pair of Fi and Shane as they start out on a magical adventure - Fi is bookish, knowledgeable and a trained treasure hunter, while Shane is a warrior for hire, rough around the edges. Fi likes to consider all the possibilities while Shane likes doing things her own way. Pairing up for just one big score, the two find themselves with a greater challenge when Fi is pricked by the Bone Spindle - intertwining her fate with the sleeping prince, Briar Rose. After a miraculous meeting with Briar, who has been under a sleeping curse for a hundred years, waiting for the kiss that will wake him, Fi decides to break the curse, and Shane is along for the journey. Only catch is dark magic, Witch Hunters and potential romances along the way, Shane is a sucker for a pretty girl, and Fi fears falling in love - especially with a prince under a curse.

The first in a new fantasy series, The Bone Spindle, this gender-flipped reimagining of Sleeping Beauty is full of action, adventure, betrayal, romance and magic. The majority of the book is told from the perspectives of Shane and Fi, with a few chapters throughout the book being told from Briar Rose's point of view. While there is plenty of action throughout the novel, the story has several drawn out segments, interrupting the flow of the story. Well developed lead characters save the story from these interruptions, and the book is perfect for fans of fairy tales with a twist, as the sleeping beauty in this story is male, and the rescuers are female. Additionally, there is a female to female pairing, adding more dimension to the original fairy tale.

Themes: Fantasy, Magic, Feminism, Romance, Curses, Relationships, Enemies, LGBTQIA+, Power.

Melanie Pages