ThreadNeedle - Review 37/21

by Cari Thomas

Publication: May 27th 2021

Publisher : HarperVoyager

Format : Kindle, Audio, Hardback

Genre : Fantasy Fiction

Review #37/2021

{ 𝐚𝐝: 𝐩𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 / 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐜 }

* All words highlighted in Grey are affiliate links to either purchase from a range of sellers or links to the authors sites. Where ever possible I will try and provide different versions of the book on all purchase sites.

Synopsis

Within the boroughs of London, nestled among its streets, hides another city, filled with magic.

Magic is the first sin. It must be bound.

Ever since Anna can remember, her aunt has warned her of the dangers of magic. She has taught her to fear how it twists and knots and turns into something dark and deadly.

It was, after all, magic that killed her parents and left her in her aunt’s care. It’s why she has been protected from the magical world and, in one year’s time, what little magic she has will be bound. She will join her aunt alongside the other Binders who believe magic is a sin not to be used, but denied. Only one more year and she will be free of the curse of magic, her aunt’s teachings and the disappointment of the little she is capable of.

Nothing – and no one – could change her mind before then. . .

Could it?

Thank you @HarperVoyager for this stunning copy and totally mesmerising read.

My Review

‘𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅 …’’

Anna lives with her aunt, she has raised her since she was a little girl. Magic runs through their family blood line but Anna has no magic. Ever since Anna can remember, her aunt has warned her of the dangers of magic. She has strictly taught her to fear how the magic can be called upon via the twists and knots of a cord and warns her that it will always turn into something dark and deadly. Using the fact that it was magic that killed her parents and left her at a young age to be her aunts burden.

She has always been told that this is why she has been protected from the magic world and in a years time when she comes of age, what little magic she has will be bound by the Binders who believe magic is a sin and that it is not to be used but denied and bound.

Annas aunt is part of a group of witches that regularly bind other witches. They believe it is their mission is to protect themselves by locking magic away, chased centuries ago by The Hunters, a shadowy group responsible for witch trials throughout history.

When Anna turns sixteen and she is on the verge of being bound, her aunt begrudgingly throws her a birthday dinner with her other aunt and her cousin. Anna has met these throughout the years and has a huge fondness for her mothers best friend who she calls an aunt. She is the total opposite to her aunt, she is a rule breaker and every year gives Anna a magical gift to hide away for just her.

These gifts are like gold to Anna as she has spent a life under strict ruling and mostly kept away from people, only being allowed out to go to school and back. Being raised to believe that her family magic is evil and that her only safe choice is to be bound, Anna cannot resist the opportunity to join a coven with her cousin who is equally as mischievous as her mother. With two friends from school, herself and her cousin they make you the four that is required, Earth, Air, Water and Fire.

Things start to get out of hand quite quickly when they realise the power the four of them can possess together but Anna doesn't want to give this up, she is starting to see a different side to magic, a side her aunt led her to believe didn't exist and it isn't long before Anna starts to realise that this isn't the only thing her aunt has not been truthful about.

Meanwhile London is buzzing with the news of six mysterious deaths and soon rumours of witchcraft begin to circulate. Are the Hunters just a myth or is a force more powerful than them all waiting to rise again and hunt them all down?

Why I Loved It

I absolutely loved this story! I was hooked from the very first page and literally devoured it within days. I loved every character and equally hated the aunt and her group of binding friends.

The whole cast of characters are so brilliantly written. I loved Attis, he was so mysterious and I never could peg what he was really about and Effie, Annas cousin is the perfect naughty family member that leads you astray and makes you realise all the fun you have been missing out on.

I loved the way the author keeps you guessing as to what truly is going on, and I just loved the mystery that surrounded the whole story.

This is the first in a series and I cannot wait for the next instalment.

Witchy reads are amongst my favourite and this one did not disappoint, although if I had to say one thing it was the fact that the same wording in some parts of the story were also in a favourite movie of mine and I felt this pulled its originality away a little, but in no way did it ruin the story for me.

Rating

★★★★★

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Meet the author

I grew up in the Wye Valley area of Wales and moved to London in my twenties. I worked as a journalist for various publications and at a creative agency, before finally doing what I'd always wanted to do. I quit my job and wrote a book about magic.

I split my days between freelance work and roaming London, writing in cafés and libraries and any hideouts I could find, eating far too much cake and imagining a magical world hidden within today's London. A world of wild, ancient witchcraft. A world of modern fairytale. A world where libraries made of books breathe dusty pages beneath the city and witch clubs serve up magical cocktails and vintage shops sell memories. A world where magic gleams both light and very, very dark. It was fun. It resulted in my debut novel Threadneedle, the first in my Language of Magic series.

I have now moved back West, to Bristol, with my husband and son. When I'm not reading strange magical books and working on my next book, I like to eat good food, watch movies, dance around the kitchen, write poetry and wander the woods, which I believe is the most magical place on earth.