If the cover of this book doesn't immediately pull you in then then the description definitely should. I don't believe I have ever read a book about a female blacksmith and while that is fun enough on it's own, we also get to learn much more about Eilean and her adventure into another world.

While I do like Eilean as a character, the standout character for me is definitely the aquatic undead horse with a bad attitude!

I would say this book leans more toward middle grade/young teen but it's also fun for adults. Perfect for someone who wants to dip their toes into an easy fantasy book.

The audiobook narration was so fun with added sound effects and different voices from narrator Rebecca Daltry.

Thank you NetGalley and Bandele Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bandele Books for approving my request to listen to an audiobook arc of this book.

This book follow Celtic mythology and is a subject I loved learning more about and hearing of all the different folk tales and myths surrounding the gods and goddesses. I also really enjoyed the fact that the mc was so passionate about being a blacksmith. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the persons chosen skill in craftsmanship was so well suited and incorporated into the story.
I really enjoyed the first instalment of this new series and I am so excited to see where the story goes next and also how the characters relationship develops going forwards.

This story deals with intense anger and guilt and also the start of a journey towards healing. I enjoyed the lgbtqia+ representation and also the scathing kelpie companion. This book had so much world building and I’m excited to see where it goes next.

DNF @43%
Thank you NetGalley for the audio arc.

Eilean is a troubled kid who has turned to blacksmithing in as an outlet. While visiting her hometown to see her ailing grandmother, a magical encounter sends her on a grand quest to save the Otherworld.

Unfortunately I do not believe I was the target audience for this. This is classed as a YA fantasy, but lack of complexity in the plot, character development, and relationships make this read more like a middle grade novel (minus the few curse words thrown out here and there). There were too many conveniences, and a lot of the world building came in the style of asking another person a bunch of questions.

However, as far as the audio production is concerned I do think the narrator did a great job and the added sound effects at the beginning of each chapter were a nice touch.

Thank you for this audio book ARC to Francesca McMahon and NetGalley.

The Spiral of Life follows Eilean, a moody 17-year-old girl with a knack for modern-day blacksmithing and some unresolved anger issues in her past. When Eilean and her parents return to her childhood home to visit her grandmother, Eilean is, much against her will, swept away on a dangerous quest consisting of gods, monsters, talking horses - and a pretty nice girl named Freya.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

The author has described this book as 'Percy Jackson meets Merlin' so obviously I had to request it right away. And believe you me, my expectations were high. Surprisingly, the Spiral of Life actually met quite a few of them.
Whereas there could've been more character work and dialogue, I really liked that which there was. The main character, Eilean, felt like a more snarky Percy Jackson, whereas Freya was her total opposite, the ultimate sunshine character. However, my favorite of the three main characters was the hilarious talking kelpie whose name I am certain I would misspell. Also, A+ for the diverse representation!
Loved the worldbuilding and different entities the characters encountered. The author clearly has a great knowledge of the Celtic folklore.
The prose was quite good. The dialogue was realistic (and sometimes hilarious) and the descriptions were vivid. The only problem I had (and the reason I'm giving the book 4.5 stars and not 5) was that the book is riddled with adverbs. At one point a character 'laughed humorously'. That was too much for me 😅 but otherwise, like I said, the writing was good.
The plot was very Percy-Jackson-like, a straight-forward quest, which I didn't mind but also wasn't super interesting. At times I was in a bit of a lost about what was happening and where the characters were, but this could be due to my ADHD brain struggling with listening comprehension. The ending was fantastic, though, really made me look forward to book 2.
And now that I mentioned listening, let's talk about the narration. I did not care for it, to be honest. I didn't like how the narrator did Freya's voice, and some characters' speech I struggled to even understand. I wish I'd read this instead of listening. (Also, then I could spell the kelpie dude's name.) But this could just be me not being used to audio books. I really liked the soundscapes at the beginning of each chapter, though!
Altogether, I liked this book. It certainly gave me Percy Jackson vibes and wasn't boring for a second. It gets my approved-stamp and I recommend reading it. Might even check out the author's other books, too.