At 20 hrs 25 minutes long, this audiobook is not a cakewalk for the ears. But narrator Bea Holland is stupendous. I doubt I would have enjoyed this book with any average narrator. She nuances her words perfectly and gives the right voice for the characters. Her performance deserves 5 stars. Anna is a bit different as far as YA heroines go and I found that quite refreshing. Her first instincts of being a conformist do evolve but in a smart and realistic way. This made her much more relatable. I didn't find myself having to suspend me belief at her growth arc as I so often do in YA. The world here is familiar but the magic woven in is beautiful ans whimsical touch. And boys, we cannot forget about the boys! Thankfully there is no insta-love going on, just typical teenage hormones. Rowan's interests were my favorite because I believe she would date half the school if possible. What an utter treat this was! There is a particular joy for bookworms, especially life long bookworms, when they find a new book that instantly feels as familiar as a favourite pair of pyjamas and yet is all new, waiting to be discovered. An instant classic, which becomes part of the lexicon of books that make up you as a reader. Threadneedle is that kind of discovery, a dash of Diana Wynne Jones, a hint of A Little Princess, a soupcon of school stories, and a darkness that's all it's own. I loved it, as enthralled as those under spell in the book. I also loved that each chapter began with passages from the Book of the Binders, as it really added to the overall atmosphere of the book.

I was really looking forward to reading Threadneedle and although I did enjoy it, it also let me down in many ways and here is why... Effie shows Anna a whole magical world she never knew existed including shops full of magical items and a library buried deep underground that has a mind of its own! Anna is a witch and she lost her parents at such a young age. She's currently living with her aunt but her aunt is far from a loveable mother figure. She's strict, abusive and controlling. Anna's supposed to suppress her presence as a witch at school and attract as little attention as possible. She has no phone, no friends, no romance, no presence, she's a nobody. Until one day, Effie and Attis entered her school, messed up the school hierarchy and flaunt their magic here and there. J K Rowling did introduce a world of magic that is categorically unparalleled but it is not an adult world. Cari Thomas has her protagonists as young adults but it is a world of magic that can be enjoyed by anyone with a love for fantasy.To be completely honest, I am struggling to sum up what was this story all about. Yes, get ready for another of my unpopular opinion. Anna has magic, but her aunt forbids her to use it. Instead, she keeps teaching her the dangers and the darkness of using magic. In the meantime, six faceless women are mysteriously hanged outside Westminster in London. Then, Anna meets Effie and Attis, who have joined her school, and she starts experimenting with the limits of her magic on a road to discovering more about herself and her past. There’s no cliffhanger ending as the crux of this part of the story does get cleared up but I just can’t wait for the unfolding of the drama that forms Anna’s curse and emotional upheaval of that love that is assuredly going to create a hell lot of problems. The fantastical world created by the story is superb. The stitching, the potions, the plants, the coven… every idea was creatively constructed. Using threads and knots for magic was an innovative experience to read.

I was so ready to fall in love with this book after seeing the gorgeous special edition from Goldsboro and that Jay Kristoff had recommended it. Unfortunately, it didn't seem that it was being talked about or even really known at all in the USA. I desperately looked for a library copy, then a bookstore hardcover, to no avail. I was so thrilled when Netgalley sent me a digital copy for review, so thanks to them I was finally able to read one of my most anticipated books of last year!

Overall, this is a read that I came in with literally ZERO expectations, but came out loving it! The first book concluded well and I can't wait for the second book to come out! I'm not sure if this will be a duology or a trilogy, but, would love to read more of Anna and how she will come to hone her power :) That said, once the book is off and running in its final third, Anna comes into herself and Thomas’ clever plotting becomes addictive. Threadneedle is the first in the projected Language of Magic series, and it’s clear that Thomas is only getting started in this world. Though the novel doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, a second installment is set up by the abrupt ending.

An enthralling and original fantasy, woven inside a magical web of lies' - Jay Kristoff, Sunday Times bestselling author of Nevernight and Empire of the VampireThe premise of the book is really simple, yet very well executed. It sets in a normal school in London, with witches hiding among them. If you have watched any witches show, you will probably know how they work but the author is able to take this simple recipe and brew a book with teenage drama, angst, coming-of-age story that is easy to love. That magical library! Who wouldn’t want to be a permanent member there? And, of course, there’s Rowan and her mother in a similar vein to Ron and Weasley’s. I sincerely do wish that Rowan could get over the complex about her weight and grow confident in her abilities, half the book is about her being body-shamed, and as a matter of fact, the use of magic to stop the bullying is what causes trouble for Anna and Effie as things spiral out of their control. I loved the authenticity in this book, the way be created a world that combines aspects that connect with reality but turned it into a new and exciting adventure. I've read a lot of books where the magical world is different than our own so this was a nice change of pace. I loved how the book focussed on a group of high school girls and how realistically portrayed these characters were. There's magic in every nook and cranny - as well as shops selling memories - in this fantastical novel that stalks the streets of London's underbelly' - Metro There’s magic in every nook and cranny – as well as shops selling memories – in this fantastical novel that stalks the streets of London’s underbelly’