Really enjoyed this book, lots of classic magic tropes with fresh ideas. The beginning took a while to get going and the end was slightly messy and there could have been a further scene post climax with the protags as it finished quite abruptly. But otherwise a fun read and I would recommend.

Threadneedle is the story of a young girl with magic overcoming the prejudices of her Aunt, who believes magic is evil and should be bound.

Anna is an interesting character with a rebellious streak that I enjoyed reading. The world building was good and getting to know a different sort of London was exciting!

I did have a bit of an issue with the plot. The start was slow and I was having real trouble staying invested long enough to finish. I'm not sure ill be picking up the sequels, unfortunately.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book exceeded my expectations. I don't normally like YA books, which would be my one caveat, but I believe the characters will grow with the series and I am really looking forward to going on this journey with them. Thank you for the free copy!

This book is unique in a lot of ways. The writing, combined with the mythology and characters of course, creates a really gripping atmosphere. At times it felt like I was reading a poem. There was a rhythm in the sentences. There was magic in the sentences. It brought the story to life in a very special way. I didn't really see it, but I felt it. I felt what Anna felt. I felt the power of music. I felt the fear. The doubts. The thickening mystery. I felt the weight of the choice that had to be made.

Thomas really takes her time to craft her world and to show us her characters and who they are. It makes the book detailed and maybe a little slow, but this magical world is amazing and very well thought out. Exploring it with Anna, being surprised by its beauty and being scared by its ugliness, was a truly magical experience. I love the idea that this world full of magic, all those different witches, are living among us. And all the build up, all the storytelling and all the explaining leads somewhere. The finale was breathtaking and it was impossible to put the book down.

On top of that we meet a lot of amazing and layered characters. Even though we only see everyone through Anna's eyes, I still feel like I really know them. And all those characters, including Anna herself, are beautifully human. Even the best people make mistakes and do almost unforgivable things. And until the very last moment we keep on wondering if maybe people who we thought were wrong could have been right.

I could tell a lot more about this book, but I most of all can't wait until the characters and I will reunite in the next book.

This novel is overwhelmingly good and has left me in a book hangover. It is intense. There is tension throughout which builds up to a crescendo of a climax that I would never have guessed despite all the clues cleverly threaded throughout. It’s beautiful, dark and the imagery is vivid and stunning. It has depth and is multi-layered so could easily reread and reveal more about the characters and setting. Some of the imagery of the magic and punishments endured is so powerful it made me believe the book was created by magic itself. I felt Anna’s emotions, her confusion and pain while living with her controlling Aunt and her wonderment at the magic beneath her fingertips. It has angst with teenage revenge, shows the innocence of love and the hurt it can wield. The characters are memorable and know them they are real while reading and beyond. And wow, what a climax.
I love witch and magic themed books but this one is worlds ahead of the best. It has left me reeling in shock and in awe. It is reminiscent of Carrie, Heathers and The Craft but has an original feel. It left me wanting to read more and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Threadneedle (The Language of Magic, #1) by Cari Thomas introduces the reader to a world of magic. But this is not the world of excitement and joyful magic that we have grown familiar with through childhood fairytales. No, this is a world of fear where magic is dangerous, a sin and must be bound. Or at least, so fifteen year old Anna Everdell is lead to believe. Orphaned at the age of 3 months, Anna is raised by her cruel and strict Aunt. Spending her life following the edicts of the Binders; a strict secret group that seeks to ‘bind’ the power of all witches for their own safety. Subdued into following this way of life, Anna does as she is told, without question. But deep in her heart the wish for magic still burns – after all she is a teenage girl and like many teenagers, she is curious about the world around her.
As Anna’s 16th birthday approaches, she is excited to discover that her aunt Selene is coming to visit. And now, our tale really starts to move as we learn that Selene is a practising witch, and raising her daughter Effie in the craft. The possibility of actual magic in her life both excites and scares Anna but surely Selene wouldn’t lead her astray? And then Effie, and friend Attis, joins Anna’s school and magic takes on a newer and distinctly more dangerous dimension.
Meanwhile, the world outside their immediate circle is becoming more aware of the presence of magic and witchcraft in society and it appears that ‘The Hunters’ might not be far behind. Leading the Binders to be increasing manic in their decision to bind Anna.
With the influence of Effie, the novel takes a distinct move towards the territory of the popular 1990s movie ‘The Craft’ as the girls create their own coven and fight back against their tormentors, but the elements of darkness and drawing out of Anna’s character, help to elevate this story line from a standard YA to one that is much deeper and exciting. Thomas has conveyed the powerlessness of the relationship between Anna and her aunt, along with the development of her emotions and powers. The portrayal of the family and their relationships is very well done and I think that many teenagers will find themselves able to relate to the feelings of this richly drawn characters.
In Summary: Threadneedle is a delicious treat of a novel, to a savored. And I’m excitedly looking forward to the next step in the adventures of Anna and Effie.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Sixteen-year-old Anna lived with her Aunt in London. She never knew her parents they died eshe was a few months old. But her Aunt said that they died because of magic. But it is cursed. So, since Anna can remember, her aunt has been preparing her for her magic to be bound and in a year’s time and join her aunt and become a Binder. As her aunt believes that magic is a sin, and it is cursed and should not be used. But as a teenager, they don’t always do what they say they going to do. So, with her friend Effie and Atticus and some other girls from school they build their own Coven.
Thank you, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for a copy of Threadneedle the first in The Language of Magic series. This is not only a great debut novel but, also a great start for a new fantasy series. This is aimed at adults but to honest more of a Young adult story of a group of teenagers. Who are on the brink of adulthood and discovering who they are and magic, curses, witches, and magical libraries and evil aunts. The school and library parts reminded me a bit of a Harry Potter vibe, but the rest was original an unique storyline that I enjoyed very much. 5 stars from me.

I found this slow to start, it took a few chapters to fully engage. It also felt like I was reading a YA novel - it's listed as General fiction - as most of the story is set in an exclusive girls school in London. I'm sure the stories will grow with the characters in the series.
The main protagonist is a young witch called Anna, who is about to have her magic power bound by a cruel Aunt. When Anna meets a group of other young witches, a whole new world of magical possibilities opens.
This is a story of witchcraft, love and of course betrayal.
I really enjoyed this once it got going, and I will read the rest.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

Whilst I didn’t love this book as much as I wanted to, I did enjoy it. I’m not sure I liked any of the characters that much, but I did feel they were well written. I wasn’t expecting this to be such a school based book, so perhaps my feelings were more to do with my expectations. I would read the next book in the series when this comes out though, as I’m interested to see where this will go.

3.5 stars

Poor repressed Anna certainly feels like the Cinderella of this story,with Effie possibly the fairy god mother,bringing magic back into her life. Showing her it's not the sin that Aunt has told her for her whole life it is.
An interesting mix of characters,some good humour,a lot of sass and the most important ingredient... magic.
A YA book that is definitely aimed at that market,there were times I felt too old for it,but the fun and the story telling swept me along on an adventure.
First in a series I believe... look forward to the next.

I wasn’t sure about this story at the very beginning – was I interested in magic in an otherwise recognisable London? Do I like the modern world presented with a touch of the magical or supernatural? I soon warmed to it, though, thanks to the interesting characters and the relationships between them. How tangled they are.
Anna is a young woman living with her Aunt, the very personification of coercive control and as unyielding as Mrs Danvers. The atmosphere in the house is stultifying; Anna is a victim of quiet and insidious abuse at the hands of the only family she knows. Aunt explains everything as preventing the dangers of magic, the only way to keep her safe. She is a senior member of The Binders whose dictum is control. That said, even these dowdy spoilsports indulge in passive-aggressive one-upmanship.
Once the summer holidays end, everything changes, for Anna and for the reader. We’re taken into an independent school for privileged teenagers, the in-crowd obsessed with hierarchy and hanging on to their popularity. Mean Girls rather than Mallory Towers. The activities of Anna’s friends and enemies make for good reading.
In the closing chapters the pace really picks up as secrets and lies are unravelled, but I was left a little flat by the ending, though, wanting to know more. Ah but now I see this is the first in a series, so consider my appetite whetted.

The blurb on this one really intrigued me. Aside from the fact it was obviously going to be about a girl coming into her magic, it didn't give anything away and I didn't know what to expect.

It's very much of a coming of age story, shrouded in a magical world where young witches are discovering their powers and themselves. A bit of a slow-burner for much of the first two thirds, although ramping up the mystery all the way through, this novel's real strengths lie in its world-building and its dramatic climax. A couple of plot devices are signposted in such a way that a reader can take a good guess but without being clear enough that later reveals are obvious.

I didn't know when I requested this one that it was the first in a series and, honestly, if I had I probably wouldn't have requested it. There are a few series already where I'm waiting for the next book to drop and I wouldn't have chosen to add to that list. Add to it I have, though, as I can't wait to see what lies in store for Anna as the story continues.

Wow, this book has gone straight into my top 10 favourite books ever, I absolutely loved it! There's been a lot of hype on social media about this book and rightfully so, this will be a spoiler free review.

Threadneedle has such an interesting premise, I feel like the blurb doesn't give a lot up and you're kinda left interpreting what it's about but honestly I think it's best if you go in completely unaware. I feel like it's hard to find books that are wholly unique, but I feel like Threadneedle comes pretty close. 

I've been really enjoying books with witches in at the moment, this is the third book within the last few weeks I've read about witches but this has to be my favourite, there's something different about Threadneedle, it's just a really brilliant read. Threadneedle has the perfect blend of magic, witches, drama, friendship, love, betrayal. There is your typical teenage high school drama in Threadneedle and there's also similarities with the cult classic movie "The Craft" ( I won't spoil it) but there's a much larger game in play. 

I really loved the main character Anna and I thought she had great character development, it was great to see how she grew into herself and deal with some of the issues presented in the book. I liked the unlikely friendships in this book and I'm intrigued how they'll develop in the later books. 

I really loved the magic system in Threadneedle and the magical realism of London in this book. The magical elements Cari Thomas has added to London are brilliant, from magical libraries to stores to objects such as magical scissors that can temporarily cut your hair (where can I buy these?!), it's the little details like these that really make a book feel that little more believable.

You will read this book in one of two ways; you'll either take your time and savour the experience or you'll devour it like I did. I ended up staying up till silly o'clock in the morning reading over 80% in one sitting, I could not stop reading it, I absolutely loved it! I will eagerly read whatever Cari Thomas writes, I'm so glad this is the first book in a series.

You will read this book in one of two ways; you'll either take your time and savour the experience or you'll devour it like I did. I ended up staying up till silly o'clock in the morning reading over 80% in one sitting, I could not stop reading it, I absolutely loved it!

I’m not going to lie, I came into Threadneedle expecting a more mature story given that it was classified as General Adult fiction — so imagine my surprise when I found this story to lean a little more heavily towards Young Adult than I would have normally liked with its extensive focus on high-school drama. Threadneedle, however, had about enough to keep me hooked. The intimidating length between Threadneedle‘s slow-burn pages packs lots of character building and drama amongst the magic and the mystery that ultimately come together in an unexpected yet gripping way.

Thomas starts Threadneedle right off the bat with a horrific scene of seven witches hung to death in the Elizabeth Tower of London. Even as it switches to Anna’s grim life with her Aunt, there remains a dark, incredibly unsettling undercurrent that I just could not shake off. Be it Anna’s abuse and gaslighting by her Aunt’s hands (I felt especially sick reading these certain scenes), the collective paranoia the Binders share on the dangers of magic, and the equally abusive environment the Binders foster — it told me right away that this book will turn grim, one way or another.

Aunt is a frightful character, as cruel as she is powerful but she is also an enigma with secrets and unknown motivations that seem a lot more than just wanting Anna to bind her magic for her own safety. Her fixation on how Anna’s magic is a curse presents her paranoia as one tinged with something else that one just can’t discern, at least not with the right clues. Anna’s powerlessness truly comes across and like her magic, her curiosity is constantly suppressed.

When her long-time family friend Selene arrives with her daughter Effie and ward Attis, Anna finds herself drawn to the “forbidden” magic as Effie draws not just her, but three other witches in their school to form a coven—the Coven of the Dark Moon—and explore the vast potentials of their magic. Now this part, was my favourite in the book: I love the concept of magic and the modern contemporary world intersecting in ways I didn’t always expect, and that there are many different types of magic being practiced – each with their own language. Thomas also takes the opportunity to flex some botanical and chemistry prowess (which I sorely lack) here; and her use of how magical expression translates to a certain language in magic that one may find themselves more attuned to got me hook, line, and sinker. There’s even an underground library where an entity who feeds off words resides, and a vintage store in which its items store the strongest memories of their last owners. Richly imaginative, sumptuous, and entertaining, Thomas’s magical London is one I’m bound to love (and long to explore further).

Now that I remember to mention it, there is a scene set on clubs where revellers get high on spells! I was extremely curious of how that would work neurochemistry-wise and that was my main reason to picking up this book. Now did I get what I sought for? Unfortunately no, as the writing made it seem like it was a club where witches get themselves neck-deep in hedonism. I may have set myself up for failure here, since I had been expecting an elaborate spell-casting and the process of getting high so I could figure out how it works. While my quest was a failure, I am definitely willing to chalk this up to the spell having the effect of generating more activity in the dopaminergic system.

I also wish that some aspects of magic had been as detailed, namely how the magical force came to be known as “hira.” I’m definitely interested in the origin of this specific terminology in linguistic and cultural terms. In addition, I’m a little bit concerned since this could be treading dangerous waters as Hira in our world is a term for a mythical monster known among the Songhai people of West Africa. Here’s hoping we’ll get more explanation as the Language of Magic series goes on.

The truly compelling portrayal of magic in this book, however, is rooted in Anna’s compulsive knotting (as her magic is prone to be emotionally-charged) and her fascination to magic. Whenever her magic comes to life, it bursts at the seams and this comes to a climax in a certain scene where her magic soars as she plays the piano in a recital. Her magic is rooted in the concept of embroidery and reading the scene where it blends beautifully with the language of music tugged at my heartstrings, as if I was also spell-bound.

It isn’t all roses and sweet tunes, however, as the Coven of the Dark Moon’s adventures grow more reckless courtesy of Effie’s influence. The high school drama comes to a climax as their clash with the school’s resident bullies come to a head and the coven decides to seek revenge on their terms. With frequent mentions of the dangers of magic, Effie’s recklessness, the strange circumstances of Anna’s magic, and Aunt’s paranoia, it felt like something could go wrong any second. When Anna senses that something is going horribly wrong after the spell, it also spelt Threadneedle‘s shift to darker territory, where Anna’s story was no longer a coming-of-age story. Thanks to a combination of terrible luck, more extensive abuse, and teen recklessness, the coven’s revenge plot took a sinister turn where the secrets between Anna’s parents’ deaths and her curse begin to come to light; and Anna has to, in turn, confront both those secrets and the enigma that is her Aunt.

I had a feeling that Threadneedle was bound to devolve to something more sinister, and I was proven horribly right as Thomas pulls together her character work, Anna’s abuse, her chilling encounters with dark magic, and the lingering warnings of the dangers of magic to deliver a plot twist so unnerving it reminded me of how I felt about Mirrorland‘s plot twist. It was a breathtaking turn I did not expect, and one that saw Anna’s suppressed inner turmoil unfurling as she is pushed to the brink.

Threadneedle ends with a mostly-resolved storyline, but some mysteries remain to be explored and consequences are yet to be paid in full. The Binders’ paranoia of witch hunters and the deaths of the seven witches come full circle as Thomas escalates the stakes of her series in her ending with one last intersection between the magical and the contemporary: the news, and conspiracy theories bound to attract attention to London’s magical scene. Thomas promises chaos in the next installment of The Language of Magic series, and I cannot wait to see how things further unfold. Clearly, there are dark forces at work but I have a feeling Thomas is biding her time to introduce them to us.

Threadneedle was a bewitching debut with strongly imaginative, seductive prose, richly drawn characters, sumptuous magic, splendid villains. I can see why this book was hyped up in social media, and I can say that the hype is certainly justified. The Language of Magic‘s first installment suggests that it’ll be a strong series and that we can expect more enticing magic in its following installments, so I have strong hopes Thomas keeps that promise.

Of course, I also had a wish list of things that could be improved in the next installment, but they’re mostly nitpicks. For specifics, I wanted more detail on magic in this series (more emphasis on magic in general, in fact), faster pacing, and a more mature feel in the next books.

Still, Cari Thomas’s Threadneedle was enthralling enough to bind me in its spell. With so many good things under its belt, how could it not?

Thank you, HarperVoyager UK, for giving me an advance review copy of Threadneedle! I am grateful to have been provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Spellbound by this book.
To start with this book appeared to be very lengthy, at the start it was 16 hours long, also at the beginning it appeared more like a Y.A. novel, which I do read sometimes..
The more I read the more I was fascinated and absorbed by this clever and fantastical story, so stick with it.
A hidden world of magic and witches, cruelty and love. The details of spells, different schools of magic and unrest between different groups was well explained and thrilling.
The characters were a mix of good, bad and very complex. I thought I knew how it would end, but it had lots of surprising twists getting there.
Fresh and captivating.

I really enjoyed this and it definitely shook me out a reading funk, the only thing I'd say is that it's quite firmly YA/teen but I feel it's sold as something different. I reckon if I had expected that upfront I might've not felt the slight disconnect I did throughout it. Nevertheless, I stayed up late reading this like I haven't with a book in a while - I devoured it and fell head over heels for the characters!
It reminded me of Harry Potter meets The Craft - school features heavily, there are the popular kids and retribution getting out of hand - our main character lives with their mean aunt who treats them horribly and with suspicion, restricting their understanding of the magical world to which they belong, whilst mysterious dark forces loom on the horizon. So lots of familiar themes.
I enjoyed the scenes with Rowan's home and the magical languages explored - I could've done with a lot more of that and less of school dynamics. Some of the magical features were great too - Aunt's key, the feather, the candles - the magic of the world is beautiful and inventive and whilst I wanted loads more of that, there's definitely plenty there to keep fans of Naomi Novik etc happy.

Anna is a young girl born into a family with magic, but her aunt warns her away from using it while simultaneously teaching her magical stitchery. There were things I liked about this story and the writing itself is good, but it went into teenage high school problems and dealing with snotty girls in a way I usually avoid in YA stories.

Anna would love to learn real magic, like her cousin who is not nice to her but subsequently clashes with the stuck-up school prefect. At this point the plot was at odds with my reading preferences, but as I said the writing is good so I carried on.

I could sympathise with Anna, who wanted different things for herself than her aunt has mapped out for her and is constantly reminded that magic was at fault for her mother's death. Exactly how isn't told in the early part of the story, but an incident in the news shows that the witch families have enemies and great need to keep quiet about their magic.

It all gets explained by the end, but I found the plot rather convoluted and drawn out. I did find the explanation for Attis an interesting concept. Mostly I thought the characters were well done, if perhaps a little over characterised to get the different types in there. The only exception was Manda, who I just didn't believe. I've known too many of 'her kind' in real life to believe that she would go along with Effie's machinations, even with magical influence.

Apart from the need to tighten up plotting, I thought the book was well written, especially in the use of language.

Magic is a sin. It must be bound. Anna Everdell knows this. She knows her place. Her life has been one long lesson in restraint and control. Aunt has made sure of it.
Magic killed her mother, magic is dangerous. Anna’s knotting ceremony looms and she can do nothing to stop it.

But what if magic isn’t dangerous? What if there is more to her mother’s death than her aunt’s acid words?



Anna does her chores, she goes to school and yet she does not live. She is shrunken. Suppressed, turned inside herself. Soon, her power, the tiny crumb of it deep inside her, will be gone.


When Effie and Attis transfer to her school, she is drawn into their circle of magic. Soon she realises that there is another London, another world she did not know existed: of libraries made entirely of books, corridors of pages, leather volumes that listen and whisper; of half-hidden emporiums that sell fantasies and and dreams and the memories of strangers; of keys that can open any doors: of clubs that pulse with spells, ancient and strange: of magic that can draw in the stars and slow time.


Across London whisperings of witches, sacrifice and ritual hang in the air, heralding strange and dark times to come. And Anna must decide to fight for her magic or lose it forever.


The characters are diverse and richly-drawn! Despite them being witches, they have human complexities - and this makes them very relatable. Each of them are bound up in a knot of love and fear and with each page, this knot tightens.


Aunt is a frightful character, as cruel as she is powerful but she is also an enigma, one that will have you trying to puzzle out her secrets and motivations. In Effie, there is a fire that can warm those around her but could just as easily burn their fingertips. And Attis, for all his charm, battles with his own shocking demons. (I have to quickly mention Rowena. In all the turmoil and darkness bubbling up, she is the lifting presence. She is bright and loud and hilarious! And I loved each and every scene she was in!)


One of THE most imaginative books I’ve read! Threadneedle is feast for the heart and for the senses. With a strong, compelling protagonist and rich, seductive prose, I don’t think I could pick a favourite scene if I tried. It is truly incredible! It’s an ode to the magic of books. I loved the characters, the plot, the twists laid seamlessly along the way. It is transportive, enchanting. This book casts its own special spell upon the reader! One that will have you eagerly awaiting the next book in the series! I CAN’T WAIT!

A modern fantasy, with dark and dangerous magic set in modern London.
Filled with witches, none of whom are quite what they seem, this is cleverly crafted and imaginative tale which I struggled to put down.
An unexpected ending with secrets revealed, this was a highly satisfying read, which still left me wanting more.
Well worth adding to the book shelves

Threadneedle, Cari Thomas

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: General Fiction ( Adult),

I struggled with this. Its classed as Adult yet it feels very YA. I've read YA books I've loved, some transcend age, but this feels so YA that I struggled with it. The story dragged, and sadly by 40% in I started skim reading to see what happened. There was a lot going on but it seemed very confusing, very muddled and some events seemed to have no real purpose. It could well be my skimming though, that missed the events they led to. I wanted to know what would happen, wanted to see how it would play out but just couldn't get through the whole story to get to the end.
Would I read next part? I don't know. Maybe as the characters are aging it'll feel less YA, Towards the last quarter it began to lose that feeling for me, with the characters facing some very hard situations and decisions.
Of course first books in a series or trilogy also have a hard time delivering a good story while creating a new world, and this one has a different kind of magic, and different magical groups too, so there was a lot to introduce to the reader.

Its a shame I didn't get along with it better, I was so looking forward to it. It could be that book two lures me in and I love it and read this with different eyes. Who knows, I've had that happen before, in the same way as I've loved the first couple of books in a series but then it lost interest for me.

Stars: Three, its a good story, just didn't quite click for me. Like I said, maybe when there's more to tell, more to understand I'll feel differently about this one. It has left me wondering “what next” so in that sense it delivers.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers