REVIEW The Cursed Rose (The Bone Spindle #3) by Leslie Vedder

The Cursed Rose (The Bone Spindle #3) by Leslie Vedder
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Physical Book + Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)

Check out my review of book one, The Bone Spindle (featured on the Under the Covers Book Blog)

Check out my review of book two, The Severed Thread (featured on the Under the Covers Book Blog)

I read The Cursed Rose by Leslie Vedder, the third book in The Bone Spindle series a couple years after reading the first two books and it was fun to dive back into the world. With a cross of multiple fairytales meeting Indiana Jones-style adventure, there was a LOT going on in the book. Following the events of the second book, The Severed Thread, the rag tag crew has been split up and they work towards the final battle with the Spindle Witch.

While the series is marketed as a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, there are so many more fairytale influences woven into the story. I really like how things came together with the confrontation against the Spindle Witch and how it continued to build on the worldbuilding of the previous books. Aurora and the Rose Witches were central to the story, and Shane and Fi’s journey into her tomb was heart-pounding as a reader. One of the central relationships in the book, Shane and Fi start the story in separate places, but work their way back together at the end of the book. 

The character growth over the course of the series was impactful. Sadly, Briar doesn’t get as much of a journey given that he’s stuck in his beastly form. Red, Fi, and Shane serve as the point of view characters, and make some major strides. However, I was most surprised to see how much time the author spent on going into the Spindle Witch’s background. It was twisty and a major surprise; the history between Aurora, the Lord of the Butterflies, and the Spindle Witch was also a major force pushing the storyline forward.    

Overall, this was an excellent book and close to the series. I like how the storylines were wrapped up while also leaving room for more adventures in the future. Audiobook narrator Lindsey Dorcus did an excellent job bringing the many points of view to life with her performance in the audiobook. I highly recommend this to young adult fans of fantasy and fairy tales, and authors like Marissa Meyer or Holly Black. 

REVIEW The Baby Dragon Bakery (The Baby Dragon Series #2) by A.T. Qureshi

The Baby Dragon Bakery (The Baby Dragon Series #2) by A.T. Qureshi
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: August 28, 2025
Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited) + Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Avon

Check out my review of the first book in the series, The Baby Dragon Cafe

The Baby Dragon Bakery by A.T. Qureshi was an adorable sequel to The Baby Dragon Cafe. While not relying on as many fantasy elements as the first book (no baby mystical creatures participate in the romancce plot in a meaningful way), it's still a cozy romance with just a dash of fantastical elements. 

Lavinia and Theo have been best friends forever, and basically everyone knows they have feelings for each other except for them. I did find it harder to be as invested in their relationship, with the massive miscommunications that went on repeatedly between them, but things work out in the end and everyone gets their happily ever after so I was happy. If you're getting frustrated like I was, I recommend pushing through towards at least the middle of the book. And for those who are invested in the first book in the series, Aiden, Saphira, and Sparky do make multiple appearancces. 

A highlight of this story was all of the yummy food items and baked goods that make an appearance. Theo's passion as a baker was evident, and if you listen to the audiobook you can hear the author and the editor discuss how much work went into getting those descriptions just right. I appreciated how the author used food to highlight the differences between Lavinia and Theo's families, and the dynamics at home (one goes out of their way to make a favorite food, one doesn't even bother...)

Overall, this was an entertaining book and I enjoyed reading it. It wasn't as impactful as the first book, particulary complex, or one of those books I'll be thinking about for a while, but it hit the spot when I wanted a cozy book for an afternoon reading session under a warm blanket. If you have Kindle Unlimited or a library card, I highly recommend checking it out. Ishmeen Dhesi and Yuvi Bains did a good job bringing the story to life with their performancce in the audiobook narration. I'm also very curious to see how the series will be rounded out with Emmy and Luke's story in The Baby Dragon Bookshop.