Spindle

From the E.K. Johnston, author of A Thousand Nights comes Spindle, a unique and unexpected twist on the timeless tale of Sleeping Beauty. Generations have passed since the King Maker split his kingdom between his two sons along the mountain line, creating Kharuf and Qamih. Qamih, ruled by the Maker Kings, easily prospered, but there was a divide between the royals and subjects. In Kharuf, the king and queen ruled with love and nurturing, caring for all of their subjects. The king and queen of Kharuf were blessed with a daughter, referred to by all as the Little Rose, called Zahrah. At the celebration of her 5th birthday, magical creatures of all kinds came to bestow gifts upon her, along with a demon and a curse. One final gift is then given to the Little Rose to help counter the curse by a Piskey, but the kingdom becomes fearful and actions are taken to keep the Little Rose and the kingdom safe. Years later, all the former spinners of the Kingdom find themselves living on Silk Road in the desert, having fled from the kingdom, and the elders are now dying from their years of spinning with no cure. In an effort to save her son, Yashaa’s mother sends him and his friends Arwa and Tyriq, joined also by Saoud, to find the Maker King so that when the Little Rose marries their Prince they can be assured a place in the treaty when the two kingdoms are reunited. However, their plans change, an unexpected member joins their party, and as danger both physical and magical closes in, they look for a way to save themselves through any means possible.

Spindle is a five-star novel for young adult readers. Full of adventure, intrigue, twists and turns, it will keep readers’ attention from beginning to end. Readers will enjoy finding the parallels between Spindle and Sleeping Beauty hidden throughout the book–despite the change in location, ethnic background, and other alterations to the story–making it one book that should not be missed.