This book was absolutely captivating. From the first page to the last, it didn't stop being a wild ride disguised as a normal story. It was so clevily written, with moment after moment of unique magical beauty that takes you on an adventure and spins you on the spot until you're not sure which way is up any more.

The amount of research and thought that has gone in to creating this universe is breathtaking, and I simply did not want the book to end. This will become of the magical universes we all know about.

I wasn't at all sure how I'd get on with this book once I'd got it and discovered it was a YA novel. I am many decades on from that, but I thoroughly enjoyed "Threadneedle", and read it over two days. It would appeal to other readers who have enjoyed, for example, the "Harry Potter" Series, and the "All Souls" and "His Dark Materials" Trilogies.

I'm looking forward to the second one in the series to find out what happens next to these engaging characters.

With many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for giving me a copy of the novel in exchange for this honest review.

Dark, magical & set in London, I was obviously going to read this, ticks many boxes for me. Although one major mystery is cleared up by the end of the book there are so many threads left hanging that I can’t wait to read the next book. Strong anti bullying, both virtual and in person, is powerful and well written. Looking forward to reading more fantastical stories in this series.

This is the first instalment in The Language of Magic series.

Magic exists. Magic exists and it is dangerous. Magic exists and it is never to be spoken of, to be bound tight, to be stifled with the soul, to be extinguished. This is what Anna has been taught. Her whole life has been spent in preparation for the time when she will forever bind close the doors to the magic that she has access to. She fears the potential that is inside of her. But maybe, buried deep, a part of her longs for it too.

I don't usually bond so well with magical stories set in our own world, preferring my fantasy to be crafted in a setting of the author's own design. I, early on, had a few issues and thought this one would not appeal either. The focus on magic was intriguing but protagonist, Anna's, ruminations on her school days were of far less interest. I soon became enamoured with her story, however, and eager to see her become the fierce and magical being who transformed her banal existence into something bewitching.

Anna was quiet, fearful, obedient, and a conformist. She was not the typical heroine I like to read about but something about her sweet nature appealed to me and I enjoyed witnessing her inner-growth, over the course of this novel. She flourished alongside her magical understanding, ensuring that knowledge was continually imparted, scenes of action concurrently occurred, and the stakes were ever heightened. I had no idea of the trajectory her story was to take, but was hooked on finding out all the way to its dramatic close.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and HarperVoyager, for granting my wish!

Anna has been warned of the dangers of magic ever since she can remember. It was magic that killed her parents, magic that's dangerous and it has to be feared and avoided. Anna has been protected from the magical world within the borough of London and in one year her magic will be bound and she will join her aunt and others who denies it. But what will happen if...when she will change her mind?

This story was so beautiful and imaginative! First of all, Cari Thomas' writing style is powerful and lush, it made me feel like I was there with Anna, discovering magic, London and following her in her journey and adventures. The story is brilliant, full of twists and I love the characterization, the characters were so well written, complex and relatable. Anna is a wonderful main character, brilliant, smart and it was such a pleasure read a book with her as MC, a book about magic so evocative and intriguing it was impossible to put down. I can't wait to read more from Cari Thomas!

I didn't finish this book. The plot sounded really good. I started reading and I felt, within 15%, that I was already skimming through the text; even though it is advertised as an adult fiction one, I feel it is very YA with quite a bit of bullying at the school including fatphobia.

This book was one that really got to you, it started out slow and you were wondering just what exactly was happening, and then after a while it just grows on you and boom, you're hooked and want to keep on reading until the end.

I was a bit confused about the Binders and what they actually were until I got further through, but learning more about magic made up for that, and eventually you got to learn just who the Binders were. I also really liked that it was set in the current day, I don't read nearly enough fantasy that link in with current day so it was a refreshing change for me.

I can't wait to see more from this world, and see what happens to all of the characters.

🧵🪡✨ BOOK TOUR ✨🪡🧵

Today is my stop on the #BlogTour for…..

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🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5🌟

Thank you to @harpervoyager_uk , @annecater14 of #RandomTours and of course @cari_threads for an advanced e-ARC copy of this magical book in exchange for an honest review.

Anna’s aunt is a Binder and has planned for Anna to become a binder also. The daily chores and Binders practice has become a normal and a routine way of life. So much so that she seems a little stifled by it. We see hints of Anna’s craving for more knowledge about the magical world that she is expected to keep a secret.

Anna’s adherence to Aunt’s strict rules of ‘no magic and no questions asked’ is difficult for any 16 year old girl and they are full of curiosity about the world around them. But she tries so hard to blend in and be inconspicuous, even at school. Where she has successfully become a nobody.

Then she has a visit from her Mothers friend Selene and her daughter, Effie who are the polar opposites of Anna’s Aunt and leave her more curious about whether she has any magic left inside her at all anymore.

And that visit and the subsequent matriculation of Effie & her friend Attis at Anna’s school makes Anna’s task of obeying Ahnt and her many rules about magic and it’s use so very hard for Anna to follow.

This book makes me wish I was magical in some way. The magical world is so beautifully constructed and the layers of magic are so complete and authentic that it leaves you wondering whether, if you tried the incantations for yourself, would you be able to step into that same magical world with Anna.

Threadneedle is book 1 in The Language of Magic series and I for one cannot wait to see what else Cari Thomas has in store for us.

This book has been taking bookish social media by storm and within the first couple of chapters I could easily see why. From loveable characters to mysterious magic, from dangerous curses to navigating the social pitfalls of senior school, this book has it all and I am very excited to see where the series goes!

I loved Anna immediately and I just wanted the best for her, she just wanted a quiet life without conflict but her curiosity couldn’t help but get the better of her at times. She was constantly putting others before herself so you can’t help but want her to be a little selfish sometimes. Effie contrasted against Anna perfectly. At first I wasn’t sure about the wild whirlwind who most definitely makes an impression on everyone she meets; however as the novel continued and I saw more of her I couldn’t help but like her attitude. Of course, there were times where I just wanted to shout at her but that was all part of the infuriating fun of her character. Then there was Attis who has the ability to make any girl fall in love with him it seems, myself included, who was a nice character to bridge the chasm between Anna and Effie. He was the protector of the group, so whilst he was portrayed as the smooth ladies man, there was a lot of depth to him which I was pleasantly surprised by.

I could spend pages and pages just talking about the characters. I loved every character in the book and what they brought to it, even if I didn’t think they were likeable, they were all unique and had interesting roles to play in the world. Rowan, especially, made me laugh out loud several times, she’s exactly the type of friend everyone needs! On the other hand we have Aunt, who is an incredibly intimidating and terrifying figure. I think one of the ways that makes her such a ghastly character is the fact that, although she is a witch who regularly gives lectures in the forms of seemingly irrelevant sayings, she feels very real. The character of Aunt is one that we see, and even encounter, in reality which made me feel even more uneasy when reading her scenes.

I loved the amount of layers in this plot and how we go from one to the other without it ever feeling out of place. Whilst we have the dark and serious story of Anna wanting to find out the truth about her parent’s deaths, this is balanced with the group of young witches forming their own coven at school and trying to work out ways to use their magic to put bullies in their places. Thomas paces each storyline brilliantly and brings them together so cohesively you can clearly see all the careful planning that has gone into this. I also loved the way Thomas crafted the magic system in this story and I’m very excited to see how this develops in future installments of the book.

Overall, I think you can clearly see that I adored this novel and all of the characters. I can’t wait to spend more time with them in this magical version of England. This novel is such a wonderful escape and you truly lose yourself in its pages. If you haven’t picked Threadneedle up already you must do so!

Threadneedle is book that I have been following for months, I had already joined the coven prior to release. So when I got the chance to review this book, I actually squealed like I was in high school again.

Threadneedle is a contempory fantasy set in a modern timeline where witches still practice spellwork and hexes, we are just blind to the magic surrounding us. It follows Anna, a young witch whose magic seems to have disappeared be forced to follow blindly in her Aunts ways, that magic is dangerous, love is even more deadly. Its easier to avoid being noticed and not to feel.

But what she doesn’t expect is to find new hope in the form of sisterhood within in rejects of the school’s heirarchy. A sisterhood that will only make her stronger. Strong enough to uncover the secrets of her past. She just doesn’t see the consequences coming.

Threadneedle was worth the wait. I felt like I belonged to the coven, was ready to bite my apple and dance around the flames. It is full of unexpected adventure, of self discovery and finding ones inner strength. It is about a group of nobodies standing up to the school’s pecking order only to bring it crashing down. It is about finding the strength to say enoughs enough, after years of abuse and about finally setting yourself free.

And the characters were an amazing variety of personalities. Anna is quiet, reserved, trying to hide in plain sight. She makes the biggest and most important change in this story. I loved her development arc. You then have Effie, the bad girl. Too cool to fit in, ready to bend the rules, especially for the right group of girls. I loved her, as well as Selene, the curvy girl who was full of such fun and laughter once she stopped allowing people to get her down using her weight as the weapon. I also enjoyed Attis, who is the enigma of the story, always keeps you guessing and surprising you along the way.

Most of all, I enjoyed how fluid the story was, how once you took a juicy bite, you could not stop. The magic began to control you. I found it so well written and such a beautifully magical tale of friendship with enough surprises to sate your appetite.

So if you like magic, tales about sisterhood and adventures of self discovery, this gem is the only one you need this year. It will leave you craving more. You may even feel like there’s a spell on you. The spell of the coven is addictively seductive, its impossible to escape their spell.

Enchanting YA novel about modern witchcraft and those who are not permitted to use it. I felt the school/college bits of the book dragged a tad, but the overall concept was interesting and I would recommend to teenagers I know.

I listened to the audiobook of this title.
I loved this. The story drew me in straight away. It is pretty overwhelming to start an audiobook and see it has a duration time of 20 hours! But it honestly didn't feel like that, and through the whole book I only felt my attention wane once in the middle.
The narrator was excelllent, and really captured the beautiful writing.
Oh, but the characters! I loved them all, but Effie was fantastic. SO funny, she made me laugh out loud frequently! And Attis, he was a great and complex character.
This was a fantastic start to a series which I look forward to already.

“Goddess of Silence and Secrets: Seal our mouths, so we can’t speak. Pierce our eyes, so we can’t seek. Knot our hearts, so we can’t feel. Bind our spells; to you we kneel. What is forgotten, can’t be known. What isn’t planted, can’t be sown. Lock the door and turn the key. We bear our magic silently. - The Binders’ Blessing”

This first installment in the new Language of Magic series tells the story of Anna, an orphaned fifteen-year-old who lives with her Aunt, Vivienne. They are witches, but Aunt believes magic to be dangerous and deadly, and has brought Anna up to fear her powers. When she turns sixteen Anna will undergo the Knotting ceremony and become a Binder like her Aunt, no longer able to use her magic. But when her late mother’s best friend Selene moves back to London with her teenage daughter Effie and Attis, a family friend, Anna’s eyes are opened to a world she’s never known.

Meanwhile, a group of six women are found hanged at Big Ben, sending her Aunt and the Binders into a frenzy. As Anna begins to question the things she has been told about both magic and her past, she starts to wonder if there could be a future out there for her that doesn’t include having her magic bound.

“Whispers divide, in secrets we thrive.”

Before we talk about the book we need to talk about the cover. Both the proof and the finished version are so beautiful that it is impossible to resist their allure. But what about what’s inside?

Threadneedle is a story of secrets, lies and self-discovery interwoven with a hidden magical world. It opens with an eerie and macabre scene that gives the book an air of ominous foreboding and mystery. After that, things slow down a little as the author sets the scene for the reader. But when I got to about a fifth of the way through, the pace picked up and the story was soon sizzling with tension, twists and mischief.

"Magic had beckoned its hand and she had followed. It was a beginning — the door was ever so slightly ajar."

Anna is a very sheltered character. She has been controlled and mistreated by her Aunt all her life, even believing it is wrong to have friends. The author immerses the reader in the indoctrination Anna has been subjected to by starting each chapter with a quote from The Book of the Binders and the teachings are woven into every thread of the story, omnipresent and impossible to escape, enabling you to understand Anna’s feelings of fear and powerlessness. When the outgoing and spirited Effie and Attis come into her life, they are initially unwelcome and a danger to her protected bubble. But once Effie has identified Rowan and Miranda as witches and the four of them come together, things slowly change. For the first time in her life Anna has friends, feels happy, and is making some of her own choices; though she is still terrified of the consequences should her Aunt find out. I enjoyed watching Anna’s journey as she grappled with the lies she’s been told, began to break free of her Aunt’s control and finally blossomed into her own person.

Aunt Vivienne is a truly vile character. She is so well-written that I despised her and wished for her downfall. In fact she was so evil that I felt like if you unzipped her a demon would emerge. The women of the Binders have an equally malevolent and sinister vibe and together they would send shivers down my spine as they subjected poor Anna to yet more trauma.

"This was magic without bounds, without rules, magic fed by something else entirely."

The magical world that the author has created is so believable that I accepted it without hesitation. I could imagine all of these secret, mystical places hidden in London and the witches moving amongst ordinary humans without detection. There is so much potential in this world and the characters for her future books and I’m excited to see where she takes it.

A magical, mysterious and bewitching story full of serpentine twists, Threadneedle is an enthralling story that I would highly recommend. I can’t wait to read more of this exciting new series.

Thread Needle is a magical, gripping coming of age story which is the first book in the series.

Firstly I tend to love any books that have magic in them so I knew from the start that I would like this book. The author has done a great job of creating a fascinating magical world that lives, just out of sight, alongside modern day London. The world of magic and the binders was interesting to learn more about, particularly as a lot if the rituals are ones used in traditional witchcraft which I thought was a nice touch.

The author has created some amazing characters who I liked to follow through the book though I did love to hate a few of them especially Vivienne. There seemed to be a definite division between the characters as to whether they were good or bad which I found intriguing. Anna was a great main character who I felt it was easy to get behind. I really felt for her and the horrible way Vivienne treats her so found myself cheering for her when she starts to rebel and find herself.

I found this book very intriguing and quickly became absorbed into the story. There are multiple mysteries running alongside each other which I found very interesting and enjoyed watching them unravel. As you can probably guess with this being the first book in the series there are a few questions left unanswered and I now can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Voyager for my copy of this book via netgalley.

This is such an unusual story that I find it very difficult to review. It was completely unexpected and unlike any other fantasy books I have read previously. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and it was a fresh take on contemporary fantasy.

The first in a new young adult fantasy series, the story follows Anna. She is raised by her strict aunt who isn’t affectionate and she suffers repeatedly at her hands. Anna was born with magical powers and has been raised to shun magic and avoid it. She has a journey of learning who she can trust in her life and discovering the world of magic and how it is perceived outside of her household. I really empathised with Anna in this story.

There is a group called the Binders who were terrifying. They believe magic is a sin and that they must bind the magic Anna has. She is waiting for the day when her magic will be bound and she will be forced to join her aunt in this group. Her life has been given a set course by her aunt, will she follow it through?

There was so much to love about this book. It’s unlike anything I have read before. It’s the kind of book that isn’t an easy read and makes you feel unsettled. This isn’t a bad thing though, it keeps you on tenterhooks wanting to find out what happens next. It’s a little slow-paced in places, but when the story gets moving you won’t be able to put the book down! With an exciting plot and equally wonderful characters, you will be hooked on Threadneedle.

This was a magical read and I need to read the rest of this spellbinding series. You do not want to miss this!

Dark, twisting and utterly addictive. Threadneedle is the witchy fantasy to read this summer.

Anna may have been born a witch, but she's been brought up to believe magic is too dangerous to practice, and her aunt will go to any lengths to make her to resist its call. When Effie arrives from New York, Anna's life of secrets, sewing and pain is turned upside down. But as rumours buzz around her school, causing decay and devastation, Anna starts to wonder if there's a reason Aunt stops her from practicing magic, and whether continuing to do so will put everyone she cares about in danger.

Thomas's world building is superb - in Threadneedle, magic never takes just one form. From knots to herbs, there's a different language to discover with the introduction of every new character, each more exciting than the last. There are also magical shops, clubs and a creepy library readers will desperately want to visit.

Threadneedle charts the ups and downs of female friendship, as well as the life-changing impact of finding people you fit with when you've spent most of your life as an outsider. I loved the friendships between Anna, Effie and the rest of the coven, and their bond was one of this novel's greatest strengths.

The writing is also really special, with beautiful, lyrical language and gorgeous descriptions. This novel really was a treat to read.

Anna's aunt is one of the most unsettling villains I have come across in a while, but I have a felling things will take an even darker turn in the next book.

I was provided with an advanced copy of Threadneedle for review via Netgalley.

A massive thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ebook copy to review!

Well, what can I say? What a magical read. I did get Harry Potter vibes, but believe me, it is so much more!

The magical library for a start. Wow. I would do anything to be a member!

I feel for Anna. She’s been through a lot, including torture at the hands of her aunt. It isn’t until Anna makes new friends, Attis and Effie, that she truly realises what she is missing.

She has a lot to discover about her parents death, and the magical curse upon her head.

This is an action-packed, witchcraft orientated read. I can’t wait for book two!

This is such an amazing magical read - with storytelling that wraps you up and takes you effortlessly into the world of Anna, Effie and Attlis. As Anna learns more about her magic and her past you begin to realise just how strong and dangerous this world could be - and how much she has to learn. A mix of magic and reality, this story is full of amazing characters and the backdrops of the school and London fitted perfectly. The garden across from the house sounded perfect.

I have been so excited to read this since last year! It was a magical, captivating read that was completely original to other witchy books I have read before.

It is an urban, contemporary fantasy mixed in with a high school story. There are so many characters who I really took to. I especially loved Effie and Anna, both completely different with such well developed personalities. I loved the after school magic club that they were a part of and their friends.

It was refreshing to read a modern day based witchy story with hidden magic. The author brings in the old traditional style of magic into a contemporary world which makes it feel authentic. It reminded me a bit of the 90’s film, The Craft especially when they talk about the old spell; light as a feather and stiff as a board! It has the usual mean girl characters you get in a high school which works so well as part of the storyline alongside the magical elements.

The world building is brilliant with things like a magic secret library, a shop that holds people’s memories in objects and so much more in this richly imagined world. Throw in family secrets, mystery and intrigue and its the perfect masterpiece of a fantasy story.

Threadneedle is a spellbinding, enchanting story that will capture your imagination and is pure joy to read. I am sure this will be one of my top reads of the year and I cannot wait for the next book to be published.

This is a story that starts off quite unassuming with the reader being introduced to Anna and her Aunt, and their small world of study and knots. It starts in the school holidays so we see how little interaction Anna has with the world outside her home until Effie, Attis and Selene appear and then school resumes. Then things start to change but it’s not immediately clear whether these changes are for the better or not.

Even before Effie and Attis appear, Anna has questions about herself, her magic and her past but with their appearance and them showing her sights she didn’t know existed her questions increase.

Throughout the book I had questions myself about Anna and her past and what had happened to get her to the position she was in now. We explore her world and see the impact of Effie and Attis extending that and how it affects her own perspective on life. There are so many questions in this book and the development and changes of Anna are interesting to watch. It’s not all smooth sailing and I was, at times, wondering what I would do in her place.

The knot magic is an integral part of the book, being a large part of Anna’s story. It’s written in a way that you understand what it is and how it works, but at the same time don’t entirely understand it at all.

As I’ve said there are so many questions in the book, and also deception and lies. It’s not clear whether what we are seeing is even real, whether it’s all lies or exaggerated or something else. This sense of not knowing whether what we are reading is the real story or whether it’s hidden under layers is something that runs through the story, through the changes Anna experiences, through information gained from other characters that are there for anything from one scene to a few pages.

I enjoyed this book, I felt it was a little too long at one point, but at the same time there was a lot of information to cover and there was the need to show how everything affected Anna, whether good or bad. The ending of the book wasn’t at all what I was expecting and there were a few points where I was genuinely concerned for Anna and her future on the lead up to the ending. I felt the ending finished the story well but also left things open enough for the possibility of another book so it will be interesting to see if there is one as I’d love to know what happens to Anna next.