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The Bone Spindle #3
The Cursed Rose
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.
**Perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson, Holly Black, and Marissa Meyer**
Not all curses should be broken. Not all fairytales end happily ever after.
Fi is a prisoner. Briar, a monster. Shane's a warrior. And Red is a traitor. What was once a formidable group of four fighting to reawaken the kingdom is now ruptured, torn apart by the wicked Spindle Witch.
Confined to a tower with the monstrous Briar Rose, Fi is caught in the Spindle Witch’s ever-tightening web. With the Spindle Witch on the verge of finding the Siphoning Spells and crushing Andar—with Fi’s help, no less—Fi’s only hope lies in decoding the ancient riddle of the Rose Witches before she loses Briar forever.
Shane is desperate to save Andar—and her partner. She’s on the hunt for a weapon left by the mysterious Lord of the Butterflies, which holds the key to the Spindle Witch’s demise. Her love for Red has only fortified. But Red’s betrayal puts her in danger from a new enemy—the Spindle Witch’s executioner, the Wraith, a witch as powerful as he is cruel.
The future of Andar lies in the secrets of its past. Fi and Shane must take on the greatest lost ruin of them all—the Tomb of Queen Aurora.
Filled with vicious bone monsters, new alliances, and surprises at every turn, prepare to be swept away by this taut, clever, and heart-filled series conclusion.
**Perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson, Holly Black, and Marissa Meyer**
Not all curses should be broken. Not all fairytales end happily ever after.
Fi is a prisoner. Briar, a monster. Shane's a warrior. And Red is a traitor. What was once a formidable group of four fighting to reawaken the kingdom is now ruptured, torn apart by the wicked Spindle Witch.
Confined to a tower with the monstrous Briar Rose, Fi is caught in the Spindle Witch’s ever-tightening web. With the Spindle Witch on the verge of finding the Siphoning Spells and crushing Andar—with Fi’s help, no less—Fi’s only hope lies in decoding the ancient riddle of the Rose Witches before she loses Briar forever.
Shane is desperate to save Andar—and her partner. She’s on the hunt for a weapon left by the mysterious Lord of the Butterflies, which holds the key to the Spindle Witch’s demise. Her love for Red has only fortified. But Red’s betrayal puts her in danger from a new enemy—the Spindle Witch’s executioner, the Wraith, a witch as powerful as he is cruel.
The future of Andar lies in the secrets of its past. Fi and Shane must take on the greatest lost ruin of them all—the Tomb of Queen Aurora.
Filled with vicious bone monsters, new alliances, and surprises at every turn, prepare to be swept away by this taut, clever, and heart-filled series conclusion.
389 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2024
34 people are currently reading
7721 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Vedder
8 books410 followersLeslie Vedder (she/her) is a queer ace author who loves girl adventurers and heroes! She grew up on fantasy books, anime, fanfiction and the Lord of the Rings movies, and met her true love in high school choir. She currently lives in Colorado with her wife and her cat Fox Mulder, who believes the treats are out there.
When she's not reading or writing, you can find her watching anime and sci-fi shows, walking in the woods and pretending they're enchanted forests, or playing old video games. She always collects all the Skulltulas in Zelda and all the Dalmation puppies in Kingdom Hearts.
Her debut YA THE BONE SPINDLE was an ABA indie bestseller.
When she's not reading or writing, you can find her watching anime and sci-fi shows, walking in the woods and pretending they're enchanted forests, or playing old video games. She always collects all the Skulltulas in Zelda and all the Dalmation puppies in Kingdom Hearts.
Her debut YA THE BONE SPINDLE was an ABA indie bestseller.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
October 27, 2024
i’m like actually obsessed
February 25, 2024
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.
April 20, 2024
4 stars 🌟
RTC!
[TW: death of a loved one, blood and gore, knife wounds]
RTC!
[TW: death of a loved one, blood and gore, knife wounds]
February 5, 2024
3.5 stars. Guys 😭😭😭 I rave about this series to everyone. The first two books were PERFECTION. And this one 😭 It used BOTH of my two most hated tropes: . It was just as beautifully written as the rest of the series, and there were definitely great moments, but it was missing the aspects of the story that made the first two books so perfect!!! I’m glad the last few pages were good cause omg most of the book had me super worried it was going to ruin the series for me.
January 10, 2025
The Cursed Rose was an amazing end to an amazing trilogy! Sometimes a series can fall apart during its conclusion, and I was worried this book wouldn’t live up to the first two since I loved them so much - but this one ended up being my favourite.
The characters all had satisfying arcs, and always felt fleshed out and real. I loved watching them develop and grow together (Shane and Red have my heart, and Fi and Briar do too).
The reveal about the history of the Spindle Witch (I won’t go into spoilers) was so clever and twisted, it brought even more dimension and magic into the story.
As always, the fighting scenes were particularly well-written.
My only slight nitpick would be that the ending focused mostly on Fi, which makes sense considering her role in the trilogy. However, I would have liked even more of a conclusion from Shane’s POV. But it was still satisfying and well done overall!
I honestly can’t recommend this series enough for anyone who likes fairytales, fantasy, action, and romance. 🪓🌹
The characters all had satisfying arcs, and always felt fleshed out and real. I loved watching them develop and grow together (Shane and Red have my heart, and Fi and Briar do too).
The reveal about the history of the Spindle Witch (I won’t go into spoilers) was so clever and twisted, it brought even more dimension and magic into the story.
As always, the fighting scenes were particularly well-written.
My only slight nitpick would be that the ending focused mostly on Fi, which makes sense considering her role in the trilogy. However, I would have liked even more of a conclusion from Shane’s POV. But it was still satisfying and well done overall!
I honestly can’t recommend this series enough for anyone who likes fairytales, fantasy, action, and romance. 🪓🌹
July 7, 2023
I’m not going to lie, I sobbed when I realized I was left on a cliffhanger until 2024!!! 💔
February 6, 2024
A great conclusion to this gender swapped YA Sleeping beauty retelling that is full of a fantastic cast of queer characters. I loved seeing how each character's story arc came to and end yet was also left open to the possibility of new adventures. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Marissa Meyer, Stephanie Garber and Kalynn Bayron. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
June 17, 2024
The heart-stoppingly magical conclusion to The Bone Spindle Trilogy was everything I wanted it to be and more!
With the stakes even higher, and our endearing protagonists (Fi and Shane) facing near impossible odds to save the Kingdom (and Briar) from the Spindle Witch’s deadly schemes, they must first look to the past if they have any hope of securing Andar’s future….
This was phenomenal! Leslie Vedder weaves a satisfyingly compelling ending that not only manages to incorporate several well known fairytales (Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and The Beast and Rapunzel to name a few) but also makes them feel fresh and unique — something that not many fairytale retellings are able to successfully achieve.
The prose is pacy yet still vividly rich and full of emotion, which, if you’re anything like me, will have you throughly immersed and on the edge of your seat.
Fi and Shane do spend a lot of time separate this time around, which I did find quite interesting as it gave us a chance to observe just how important and integral they’ve both become to one another, in a found family, ride or die kind of way. Though I will say if you loved Shane’s sense of humour, not to worry! We still get a good amount bickering and fun loving banter to break up the plot’s more intense scenes, with the added bonus of more page time with Perrin, Red and The Paper Witch.
I also really enjoyed delving more into the lore surrounding The Butterfly Curse, The Lord of The Butterflies (whose magic crafted the curse) and the origins of The Spindle Witch. It definitely helped expand the world in my opinion and I can definitely see potential in a prequel series surrounding The Lord of Butterflies and Briar’s ancestor.
However, I was a little disappointed we didn’t get more page time with Briar, as his flirtatious nature and chemistry with Fi in the previous instalments was soo good. Though I will say Vedder makes up for it in the epilogue which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I can’t say much else without spoiling the plot, but I will say adventure seeking fantasy lovers (or fans of Indiana Jones) should definitely consider checking this series out!
Also a huge thank you to Karis over at Hachette children’s/ Team BKMRK for the gorgeous finished copy.
With the stakes even higher, and our endearing protagonists (Fi and Shane) facing near impossible odds to save the Kingdom (and Briar) from the Spindle Witch’s deadly schemes, they must first look to the past if they have any hope of securing Andar’s future….
This was phenomenal! Leslie Vedder weaves a satisfyingly compelling ending that not only manages to incorporate several well known fairytales (Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and The Beast and Rapunzel to name a few) but also makes them feel fresh and unique — something that not many fairytale retellings are able to successfully achieve.
The prose is pacy yet still vividly rich and full of emotion, which, if you’re anything like me, will have you throughly immersed and on the edge of your seat.
Fi and Shane do spend a lot of time separate this time around, which I did find quite interesting as it gave us a chance to observe just how important and integral they’ve both become to one another, in a found family, ride or die kind of way. Though I will say if you loved Shane’s sense of humour, not to worry! We still get a good amount bickering and fun loving banter to break up the plot’s more intense scenes, with the added bonus of more page time with Perrin, Red and The Paper Witch.
I also really enjoyed delving more into the lore surrounding The Butterfly Curse, The Lord of The Butterflies (whose magic crafted the curse) and the origins of The Spindle Witch. It definitely helped expand the world in my opinion and I can definitely see potential in a prequel series surrounding The Lord of Butterflies and Briar’s ancestor.
However, I was a little disappointed we didn’t get more page time with Briar, as his flirtatious nature and chemistry with Fi in the previous instalments was soo good. Though I will say Vedder makes up for it in the epilogue which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I can’t say much else without spoiling the plot, but I will say adventure seeking fantasy lovers (or fans of Indiana Jones) should definitely consider checking this series out!
Also a huge thank you to Karis over at Hachette children’s/ Team BKMRK for the gorgeous finished copy.
February 26, 2024
The cover art for this series is so pretty but did Shane so dirty, she should look 300% butcher
March 26, 2024
Maybe there was something to this destiny stuff, at least when you took it into your own hands.
I usually like to review books in the order I read them, and I have a backlog of 10+ other reviews I should have gotten to before writing this one, but I am so aggressively far gone for this series and for these characters that I feel like I'll die if I don't rave about them right this instant.
Even though I knew I'd like this series from the beginning (it is a genderbent Sleeping Beauty x Indiana Jones mashup with an enemies to lovers sapphic ship, what'd literally anyone expect), my love for this trilogy is one that snuck up on me. Sometimes I can tell I'll give a book a five star rating from the first 5-10% -- this trilogy took me a book and a half before I started to wonder if maybe this was a five star series. It took me finishing this one to actually go back and give each book the rating they deserved. But now that I'm in love with this series, I feel consumed by it in a way that is extremely rare for me. I bought the whole trilogy for my library, I keep listening to songs that remind me of the characters (Fearless by Taylor Swift for Fi x Briar and Red by Delaney Jane for Shane x Red!!!), I've gone back and listened to podcasts the author's guest-starred on just so I can know behind-the-scenes details, hell, I even tried looking up fanfiction! (There isn't any, because for some reason this isn't getting nearly enough hype!) I can't get enough of Fi and Shane and Briar and Red, and I want to cry because this story's over now and that means no more time with those characters!
The plotting is extremely tight and action-packed, and the vibes are immaculate. The Indiana Jones vibes are captured perfectly with the well-thought out tombs and the quick pacing but I'm especially talking about the Sleeping Beauty vibes: there's just an abundance of roses, thorns, towers, people sleeping for a century, curses, and themes of destiny. Sleeping Beauty actually gets pretty gothic when you think about it and the author made an excellent point about that in one of her interviews! There is a big reason why that's one of my favorite Disney movies, and Leslie Vedder not only spelled that out eloquently, but she successfully transplanted its aesthetic throughout her trilogy!
But that's not all: Vedder struck nearly a perfect balance between plot and character. And the character development -- especially in this book, where it all comes to a head -- is ridiculously rewarding. Fi and Red's growth in particular were the ones that really shone, but I also loved how Fi and Shane have obviously rubbed off on each other, with Fi getting braver and a lot more reckless while Shane is now in the habit of thinking before sticking her hand in a trap in a tomb. It felt a little like the roles were even reversed at times and I really wanted to cackle!
And then as I've kind of mentioned before: this trilogy has not one but two ride-or-die ships that I would sell my soul for. Both Fi/Briar and Red/Shane make my heart happy, and I felt myself wiping away tears by the end of this because they've all struggled and fought and suffered for their happily ever after. ESPECIALLY FI AND BRAIR. FI AND BRIAR GO THROUGH THE FUCKING WRINGER IN THIS BOOK OH MY GODDDDDDDDDD! I literally need to reread their fluffy scenes in previous books just to heal my heart! There was a ridiculous amount of angst and not nearly enough Briar Rose in this book, which is basically the one critique I have. But I will say it's like 90% alleviated when I consider the structure of the trilogy: Book 1 is Fi/Briar's time to shine while Shane/Red take a backseat, Book 2 splits the time between both romances equally, and then Book 3 is Shane/Red's turn in the spotlight while Fi/Briar take a step back. And I loved the moments we had with Shane and Red -- they're spicy and passionate as always but their absolute tenderness and care for each other, the way both of them leaned on each other for strength at different points -- that hit me RIGHT in my heart!!
The last book is darker than the other two since things get rough for the characters -- so rough that I literally lost sleep because I was so worried about them and anxious to see things get better. But it delivers on everything the series promised and wrapped up everything really well.
If I give myself a moment to go heavy on the Sleeping Beauty metaphors: this trilogy blossomed like a rose. It would have been so easy for the Indiana Jones x genderbent Sleeping Beauty concept to burn itself out in one book, but this story only got better and more vibrant as it went on. I don't know where exactly the Bone Spindle trilogy stands among the likes of Six of Crows, the Lunar Chronicles, and the Folk of the Air, but like -- it's up there. It's absolutely comparable to those other YA series and that's an extremely high compliment coming from me. I am going to hope and pray to high heaven that Leslie Vedder will write some bonus short stories starring the four main characters because I already miss them terribly, but if she doesn't, then I'll always have these three books. <3
August 20, 2025
This was a really good conclusion!! I give it 4.25 stars, maybe the best book of the series. I really enjoyed all the dynamics between the characters, the darkness behind the Spindle Witch's story (what a twist to the fairy tale!) all of the interesting magic, the arc of the story, all of it! What a fun series, with a very satisfying conclusion.
February 11, 2024
Got a littttttle lost in the middle but the ending was perfect<3 What I'm learning this year is a series is only as good as its characters, and this has the best of them
March 4, 2024
3.5 stars
September 16, 2024
4/5
j’ai pref celui-ci avec le T1
j’ai pref celui-ci avec le T1
January 20, 2025
I'D GIVE THIS MORE STARS IF I COULD
YES, THANK YOU, I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OMFG LAKJSDFLKSJDFLKSDJF GAH!!
YES, THANK YOU, I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OMFG LAKJSDFLKSJDFLKSDJF GAH!!
January 17, 2024
I've been eagerly awaiting the book in this trilogy. Vedder created something really special with her world building and characterizations in this super satisfying conclusion. I am going to re-read this entire series to finalize my feels. But in the meantime, my love for this series is a triumph feeling I wont lose any time soon.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
February 16, 2024
“No knowledge is ever wasted, Filore. Maybe the next thing you’re looking for will be right here.”
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder Children’s Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Not all curses should be broken. Not all fairytales end happily ever after. Fi is a prisoner. Briar, a monster. Shane's a warrior. And Red is a traitor. What was once a formidable group of four fighting to reawaken the kingdom is now ruptured, torn apart by the wicked Spindle Witch. Confined to a tower with the monstrous Briar Rose, Fi is caught in the Spindle Witch’s ever-tightening web. With the Spindle Witch on the verge of finding the Siphoning Spells and crushing Andar—with Fi’s help, no less—Fi’s only hope lies in decoding the ancient riddle of the Rose Witches before she loses Briar forever. Shane is desperate to save Andar—and her partner. She’s on the hunt for a weapon left by the mysterious Lord of the Butterflies, which holds the key to the Spindle Witch’s demise. Her love for Red has only fortified. But Red’s betrayal puts her in danger from a new enemy—the Spindle Witch’s executioner, the Wraith, a witch as powerful as he is cruel. The future of Andar lies in the secrets of its past. Fi and Shane must take on the greatest lost ruin of them all—the Tomb of Queen Aurora.
Filore really has to fight for what she wants in this book. In the Spindle Witch’s clutches and desperate to save the one she loves, she can do nothing but bow to evil and hope there is a way out. She’s always been tenacious but it reaches a whole new level here. She battles herself and the darkness hanging over her, controlling her, at every turn and does her very best to come out victorious. I really liked seeing such determination from Fi and the fact she wouldn’t allow the constant setbacks to impact her. She never let her positivity waver - even when things seemed incredibly hopeless. She had a very strong arc over the course of this trilogy and I really like where her character ended up come the conclusion.
We see so very little of Briar Rose in this story - other than the presence of the monster he has become. I wish there could have been more of Briar since so much of the previous plot has revolved around him and his fate - and that of his kingdom. It was slightly disappointing to not have an inner Briar like his consciousness inside the monster across the book - even if only flashes. I feel like this could have added higher stakes to the overall story and would have acted as further encouragement for Fi.
Shane seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut and most certainly feeling the loss of her partner. We even see her losing a bit of that carefree, blasé attitude that is so quintessentially Shane. But I found it rather refreshing to see a different side to her in the third book. We all expect Shane to be the comedic relief, and she still is, but it was nice to see her fret more and feel uncertain about how to move forward. And there is such strength in her too. Strength that remained unwavering throughout and led her right where she needed to be.
Enjoying her newfound freedom, Red seems to simultaneously flounder and flourish. She doesn’t know what to do with her life beyond the Spindle Witch’s shadow and being the centre of Shane’s attentions seems to be jarring. But she starts to learn more about herself and what she’s capable of, she begins to open up - both to her abilities and the possibility of a brighter future. I think Red’s overall arc was really good. She had a lot riding on her shoulders and it was great to see just how everything came together and influenced both her life and the lives of the other characters. I think she ended up in the perfect place in the end.
This was quite the conclusion to this delightful gender bent, LGBTQ+ Sleeping Beauty retelling! The plot was generally fast moving and there was a lot going on - but I rather liked this. It never felt like too much was happening and it felt right considering the path that the other books in the trilogy had taken. I’m always up for adventure and this book delivers on that. We mostly stuck with our familiar characters though we got to know a few others better which I liked. It certainly helped keep the story interesting and engaging. There was quite a bit of romance in this book but not for the characters you’d expect. Instead the focus was on Red and Shane’s blooming relationship. I really enjoyed getting to read their dynamic shifting and developing. There was plenty of angst and frustration but that made it all the more sweeter because it was fought for. For Fi, there was so much yearning which led to disappointment that I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. I certainly felt disappointed there wasn’t more of her and Briar after the last two books. The ending felt rather bittersweet but felt right after all our characters had gone through. Well done Vedder on such a great story.
Overall, The Cursed Rose is a lovely conclusion to this fabulous tale!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you again to NetGalley and Hodder Children’s Books for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder Children’s Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Not all curses should be broken. Not all fairytales end happily ever after. Fi is a prisoner. Briar, a monster. Shane's a warrior. And Red is a traitor. What was once a formidable group of four fighting to reawaken the kingdom is now ruptured, torn apart by the wicked Spindle Witch. Confined to a tower with the monstrous Briar Rose, Fi is caught in the Spindle Witch’s ever-tightening web. With the Spindle Witch on the verge of finding the Siphoning Spells and crushing Andar—with Fi’s help, no less—Fi’s only hope lies in decoding the ancient riddle of the Rose Witches before she loses Briar forever. Shane is desperate to save Andar—and her partner. She’s on the hunt for a weapon left by the mysterious Lord of the Butterflies, which holds the key to the Spindle Witch’s demise. Her love for Red has only fortified. But Red’s betrayal puts her in danger from a new enemy—the Spindle Witch’s executioner, the Wraith, a witch as powerful as he is cruel. The future of Andar lies in the secrets of its past. Fi and Shane must take on the greatest lost ruin of them all—the Tomb of Queen Aurora.
Filore really has to fight for what she wants in this book. In the Spindle Witch’s clutches and desperate to save the one she loves, she can do nothing but bow to evil and hope there is a way out. She’s always been tenacious but it reaches a whole new level here. She battles herself and the darkness hanging over her, controlling her, at every turn and does her very best to come out victorious. I really liked seeing such determination from Fi and the fact she wouldn’t allow the constant setbacks to impact her. She never let her positivity waver - even when things seemed incredibly hopeless. She had a very strong arc over the course of this trilogy and I really like where her character ended up come the conclusion.
We see so very little of Briar Rose in this story - other than the presence of the monster he has become. I wish there could have been more of Briar since so much of the previous plot has revolved around him and his fate - and that of his kingdom. It was slightly disappointing to not have an inner Briar like his consciousness inside the monster across the book - even if only flashes. I feel like this could have added higher stakes to the overall story and would have acted as further encouragement for Fi.
Shane seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut and most certainly feeling the loss of her partner. We even see her losing a bit of that carefree, blasé attitude that is so quintessentially Shane. But I found it rather refreshing to see a different side to her in the third book. We all expect Shane to be the comedic relief, and she still is, but it was nice to see her fret more and feel uncertain about how to move forward. And there is such strength in her too. Strength that remained unwavering throughout and led her right where she needed to be.
Enjoying her newfound freedom, Red seems to simultaneously flounder and flourish. She doesn’t know what to do with her life beyond the Spindle Witch’s shadow and being the centre of Shane’s attentions seems to be jarring. But she starts to learn more about herself and what she’s capable of, she begins to open up - both to her abilities and the possibility of a brighter future. I think Red’s overall arc was really good. She had a lot riding on her shoulders and it was great to see just how everything came together and influenced both her life and the lives of the other characters. I think she ended up in the perfect place in the end.
This was quite the conclusion to this delightful gender bent, LGBTQ+ Sleeping Beauty retelling! The plot was generally fast moving and there was a lot going on - but I rather liked this. It never felt like too much was happening and it felt right considering the path that the other books in the trilogy had taken. I’m always up for adventure and this book delivers on that. We mostly stuck with our familiar characters though we got to know a few others better which I liked. It certainly helped keep the story interesting and engaging. There was quite a bit of romance in this book but not for the characters you’d expect. Instead the focus was on Red and Shane’s blooming relationship. I really enjoyed getting to read their dynamic shifting and developing. There was plenty of angst and frustration but that made it all the more sweeter because it was fought for. For Fi, there was so much yearning which led to disappointment that I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. I certainly felt disappointed there wasn’t more of her and Briar after the last two books. The ending felt rather bittersweet but felt right after all our characters had gone through. Well done Vedder on such a great story.
Overall, The Cursed Rose is a lovely conclusion to this fabulous tale!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you again to NetGalley and Hodder Children’s Books for an advanced copy of this book.
February 4, 2024
Originally posted on Just Geeking by.
Content warnings:
As with all my reviews for books that are parts of a trilogy or series, this review contains spoilers for the previous books.
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Content warnings:
As with all my reviews for books that are parts of a trilogy or series, this review contains spoilers for the previous books.
BLOG | REVIEWS | REVIEW SCHEDULE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST |
November 26, 2023
The perfect conclusion to a wonderful trilogy. Every time I picked up this book, I felt engulfed by the brightness of a fairytale. The prose and the atmosphere were like sugar melting on my tongue.
I love all of these characters, and I'm so glad to have accompanied them on their journeys. Fi is clever, passionate, bookish, thoughtful, and brave. Shane is an adorable hothead and one of the most "ride or die" friends I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Red's growth and emotional complexity have only become deeper with each book, and I loved every moment with her here. And Briar is, of course, a sunshine-y, flirtatious sweetheart. They are all so wonderful as characters, and what's more, they are so tender and kind with one another. It makes my heart swell, truly.
The side characters were also fantastic--Perrin, the Paper Witch. Even the villain is hugely fleshed out. By the end I couldn't help but ache for her and feel investment in her story as well.
Everything came together in an epic finale, tying together all the loose threads and giving me every satisfaction I could hope for as a fan of this series. I can't wait to come back and reread these books in the future whenever I need a lighthearted, magical adventure full of friendships and romances I love to root for.
I love all of these characters, and I'm so glad to have accompanied them on their journeys. Fi is clever, passionate, bookish, thoughtful, and brave. Shane is an adorable hothead and one of the most "ride or die" friends I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Red's growth and emotional complexity have only become deeper with each book, and I loved every moment with her here. And Briar is, of course, a sunshine-y, flirtatious sweetheart. They are all so wonderful as characters, and what's more, they are so tender and kind with one another. It makes my heart swell, truly.
The side characters were also fantastic--Perrin, the Paper Witch. Even the villain is hugely fleshed out. By the end I couldn't help but ache for her and feel investment in her story as well.
Everything came together in an epic finale, tying together all the loose threads and giving me every satisfaction I could hope for as a fan of this series. I can't wait to come back and reread these books in the future whenever I need a lighthearted, magical adventure full of friendships and romances I love to root for.
February 7, 2024
First off, a huge thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Razorbill for an E-Arc of this book!!
Thai was a thrilling conclusion that left me feeling happy and so very sad.
I’m so happy these characters got their happily ever after but super sad to see this trilogy come to an end and say by to these characters who I grew to love.
The character development throughout this entire trilogy has been magnificent. Each character goes through both external and internal challenges and Veddar does an impeccable job at bringing those to life and making you feel like you are right next to the character.
This had everything you could want in a final book of a trilogy. A thrilling adventure of the build up anticipation. Incredible story telling and a beautiful conclusion that leaves you feeling excited for the characters.
I absolutely adored this book and will be continuing to purchase books by Veddar and also recommend them. This trilogy has truly been one of the best YA fantasy trilogies I have read and am super excited to see what she does next!!♥️
Thai was a thrilling conclusion that left me feeling happy and so very sad.
I’m so happy these characters got their happily ever after but super sad to see this trilogy come to an end and say by to these characters who I grew to love.
The character development throughout this entire trilogy has been magnificent. Each character goes through both external and internal challenges and Veddar does an impeccable job at bringing those to life and making you feel like you are right next to the character.
This had everything you could want in a final book of a trilogy. A thrilling adventure of the build up anticipation. Incredible story telling and a beautiful conclusion that leaves you feeling excited for the characters.
I absolutely adored this book and will be continuing to purchase books by Veddar and also recommend them. This trilogy has truly been one of the best YA fantasy trilogies I have read and am super excited to see what she does next!!♥️
February 25, 2024
When I first picked up this series in 2022, I had no clue what a ride it would take me on. What I discovered is that this would become my favorite fantasy series of all time. And the final piece of the story left me overwhelmed with joy and sorrow. It broke my heart and mended it masterfully.
The magic and fictional history in this story, the narrative layers told through pieces of The Butterfly Witch, the ultimate twist of the villain, and the happy ending I had to work so hard to arrive at, all came together beautifully.
Shane and Fi make my heart soar, and I'm so sad their journey has come to an end. But I'm tremendously thankful that Leslie Vedder took me on their quest in the first place. I'll always smile at the thought of Shane and Fi exploring ruins and temples together.
I'm going to miss everyone from The Paper Witch to Perrin, to Cinzel, to Red, and Briar so much.
Whatever Leslie Veder writes next, I'm there. Lifelong reader. 5/5, no notes. Just perfection.
The magic and fictional history in this story, the narrative layers told through pieces of The Butterfly Witch, the ultimate twist of the villain, and the happy ending I had to work so hard to arrive at, all came together beautifully.
Shane and Fi make my heart soar, and I'm so sad their journey has come to an end. But I'm tremendously thankful that Leslie Vedder took me on their quest in the first place. I'll always smile at the thought of Shane and Fi exploring ruins and temples together.
I'm going to miss everyone from The Paper Witch to Perrin, to Cinzel, to Red, and Briar so much.
Whatever Leslie Veder writes next, I'm there. Lifelong reader. 5/5, no notes. Just perfection.
June 24, 2024
Overall I thought this series was pretty fun and would be great for a teen audience. 3.5/5
There's a combination of a few concepts here-- you have Fi and Briar Rose who are kinda living out a gender bent Sleeping Beauty, then there's Shane and Red who have a bit of a Rose-Red situation, and before either of those storylines kickoff it's Fi and Shane teaming up to live their Indiana Jones/The Librarian best lives.
Fi's a bit of a history nerd with a good mind for cracking codes, and Shane loves to swing her axe. They both happen to kinda sorta fall into these tragic/melodramatic romances (oh, and Red has a wolf companion that follows her like a loyal shadow). There's curses and fairytales, evil witches and bodysnatchers, and overall it's a very fun time and well-written. You can tell the author has a lot of it planned out and the characters mean a lot to her.
Definitely a series I'm not mad about finishing :) If it interests you I'd say to pick it up for sure.
There's a combination of a few concepts here-- you have Fi and Briar Rose who are kinda living out a gender bent Sleeping Beauty, then there's Shane and Red who have a bit of a Rose-Red situation, and before either of those storylines kickoff it's Fi and Shane teaming up to live their Indiana Jones/The Librarian best lives.
Fi's a bit of a history nerd with a good mind for cracking codes, and Shane loves to swing her axe. They both happen to kinda sorta fall into these tragic/melodramatic romances (oh, and Red has a wolf companion that follows her like a loyal shadow). There's curses and fairytales, evil witches and bodysnatchers, and overall it's a very fun time and well-written. You can tell the author has a lot of it planned out and the characters mean a lot to her.
Definitely a series I'm not mad about finishing :) If it interests you I'd say to pick it up for sure.
November 9, 2023
I’ve been lucky enough to be an early reader for this entire trilogy, and let me tell you— “The Cursed Rose” does not disappoint! I can’t imagine a more perfect way of wrapping a series as lovely as this.
Vedder’s writing is as lush as ever; her beloved characters are as enchanting, frustrating, hilarious and brave as ever; her story is as exciting and fun and surprising as its predecessors. There are thrills and twists and discoveries, and a truly dazzling festival that I’m ready to buy my ticket for; there’s (of course) romance and (my favorite) friendship - Fi and Shane! - working to save Andar once and for all.
Because this is an early review, I’ll steer away from the specifics and leave you with this instead: if you read the first two books (which I hope you did!), you know there are some new characters introduced, all of whom expand our little team of heroes. Vedder does a fantastic job of balancing those new storylines with Fi, Shane, and Briar, in a way that enhances her tale, deepens our day-ones, and highlights the beautifully varied world she’s created. The twists and turns of this tale are never distracting, never digressive. She sticks to her plot and adds some pizazz along the way, and her characters’ arcs are satisfying and believable.
Like so many fairytales of old, this story has stuck with me. I felt like a kid reading it again, remembering the books and worlds I disappeared into when I was 10, 11; and there was some bittersweetness in my experience of reading with adult-lenses on, carrying the weight of knowledge that comes with growing up. Don’t let the YA label fool you: there are some seriously moving moments in this series, and “The Cursed Rose” is no exception.
And yet! It is also outrageously adventurous, dizzyingly fun, and an all-around fabulous representation of queer love and friendship. Everyone in this series genuinely cares for one another, and that isn’t something you see all the time in fantasy. I appreciated that the adult characters - and specifically, the Witches - could sometimes have questionable morals or motives, but that the core cast never really does. These are a bunch of heroes you want to root for, in all of their imperfections. Buy this book for yourself, or a loved one, or some young person in your life who doesn’t know what to read next.
It’s an incredible ride, and my only sadness is that I’ll never have the opportunity to be a first-time reader of this series again! Thank goodness for rereads.
February 5, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5/5 STARS
Genre: YA fairytale retelling
This is the final book in a Sleeping Beauty retelling series. It is completely action packed with adventure and a quest to defeat the Spindle Witch.
Briar Rose is cursed, Fi is trapped in the tower with the Spindle Witch, & Shane is trying to find something to break the curse.
Without spoiling anything the series wraps up nicely without any loose ends. I loved the characters and the whole series reminded me of Chris Colfer’s The Land of Stories series. The gender reversed reimagining was really well done!
If you are a fan of fast paced adventures based on fairytales, read this series!
Thank you Penguin Teen for the gifted copy! 👑
4.5/5 STARS
Genre: YA fairytale retelling
This is the final book in a Sleeping Beauty retelling series. It is completely action packed with adventure and a quest to defeat the Spindle Witch.
Briar Rose is cursed, Fi is trapped in the tower with the Spindle Witch, & Shane is trying to find something to break the curse.
Without spoiling anything the series wraps up nicely without any loose ends. I loved the characters and the whole series reminded me of Chris Colfer’s The Land of Stories series. The gender reversed reimagining was really well done!
If you are a fan of fast paced adventures based on fairytales, read this series!
Thank you Penguin Teen for the gifted copy! 👑
February 6, 2024
I received a copy from Penguin and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I received advance reader copies for all three books in this trilogy and this final book did not disappoint in the slightest! I was eagerly awaiting it and had so much fun!
This book really delivered on all fronts. The friendships and the risks they were willing to take for each other were so special. The romances as well were so heart-wrenching. This whole trilogy takes the reader on such a wild and fun ride full of laughter, tears, nerves, and more! This final instalment had all of those things in abundance!
There's usually at least one character I don't particularly care about in a story but I genuinely adored every single character in these. The strength of their friendships was inspiring and made me want to root for each one of them even more. I love seeing all the different dynamics even when they weren't physically with each other. They all had so much hope that things would work out and were so determined.
I'm sad to see this story come to a close but it was a fantastic time while it lasted! I think it ended in a perfect way and left me imagining what each of them would be doing after the pages stopped. I would highly highly recommend this trilogy!
This book really delivered on all fronts. The friendships and the risks they were willing to take for each other were so special. The romances as well were so heart-wrenching. This whole trilogy takes the reader on such a wild and fun ride full of laughter, tears, nerves, and more! This final instalment had all of those things in abundance!
There's usually at least one character I don't particularly care about in a story but I genuinely adored every single character in these. The strength of their friendships was inspiring and made me want to root for each one of them even more. I love seeing all the different dynamics even when they weren't physically with each other. They all had so much hope that things would work out and were so determined.
I'm sad to see this story come to a close but it was a fantastic time while it lasted! I think it ended in a perfect way and left me imagining what each of them would be doing after the pages stopped. I would highly highly recommend this trilogy!
January 31, 2024
This was an absolute stunning finale to The Bone Spindle series.
I fell more and more in love with the characters with each book, and The Cursed Rose really allowed me to connect with the characters as they struggled through this final leg of their story. I was absolutely enamored by Red and Shane, torn apart by the struggle between Shane and Fi, and heartbroken by the pain of Briar Rose being a monster. I loved the writing and was glad to see how everything wrapped up in the end.
Thank you so much to Leslie Vedder for giving us this amazing finale! I’m grateful to have been able to read an eARC of this book thanks to Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley.
I fell more and more in love with the characters with each book, and The Cursed Rose really allowed me to connect with the characters as they struggled through this final leg of their story. I was absolutely enamored by Red and Shane, torn apart by the struggle between Shane and Fi, and heartbroken by the pain of Briar Rose being a monster. I loved the writing and was glad to see how everything wrapped up in the end.
Thank you so much to Leslie Vedder for giving us this amazing finale! I’m grateful to have been able to read an eARC of this book thanks to Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley.
February 29, 2024
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Cursed Rose is a fabulous end to one of my favorite series. It solidifies the themes of what we would do to save the ones we love. With signature puzzles and a bit of tomb robbing, The Cursed Rose strikes a balance between humor, heart warming feelings, and heartbreak. The stakes are high here. And Fi, Shane, Briar, and Red have to reckon with the consequences of the past book. The Cursed Rose asks many questions. If we can manage to save the places we have made home? If we have become the monsters we ran from? And what we will do to avoid losing the ones we love?
The Cursed Rose is a fabulous end to one of my favorite series. It solidifies the themes of what we would do to save the ones we love. With signature puzzles and a bit of tomb robbing, The Cursed Rose strikes a balance between humor, heart warming feelings, and heartbreak. The stakes are high here. And Fi, Shane, Briar, and Red have to reckon with the consequences of the past book. The Cursed Rose asks many questions. If we can manage to save the places we have made home? If we have become the monsters we ran from? And what we will do to avoid losing the ones we love?
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March 1, 2024Graded By: Mandy C.
Cover Story: Slayer Vibes
BFF Charms: Platinum x2
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Adventure!
Bonus Factors: Character Growth, Witches
Factor: TEABS
Relationship Status: Forever and Ever, Amen
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Slayer Vibes
BFF Charms: Platinum x2
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Adventure!
Bonus Factors: Character Growth, Witches
Factor: TEABS
Relationship Status: Forever and Ever, Amen
Read the full book report here.
May 29, 2024
This was the perfect ending to the series, I loved all the adventures, and the character interactions were peak wholesome 😭
Also that hea >>>>
I need a fluffy follow up novella, I miss these characters 😭
Also that hea >>>>
I need a fluffy follow up novella, I miss these characters 😭
July 11, 2024
This was a great conclusion to this series. I was very happy with how the different storylines and relationships were wrapped up by the end. My biggest gripe about the whole thing was Briar, he was annoying and more trouble than he was worth, but that is just my opinion. I loved all the representation in this book, all the romance was very PG but delightful, and while I wish that I could spend a little more time with these characters I am happy to end the series here.
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