The Shadow Spinner had a very interest perspective, I don't see books written in third person omniscient very often! The witty banter was very classic and refreshing. I ended up not being able to finish this book after several attempts to get back into it. That does not mean it isn't a bad book! It just wasn't for me. There was a lot of action, so readers drawn to combat will surely enjoy this. The combat was well written out and had humor twisted into it in a tasteful way. As far as the story went, I really wished there was an explanation. Early on when they left the inn, it could very easily been a great place to start explaining the motive of the characters. If they had an end destination or goal to achieve, I feel the flow of the story would have been more fleshed out. I only got half way in the book so many later on this is covered, but I feel it should be covered within the first chapter. That is what pulls the readers into wanting to continue reading the book. The tension and intrigue is really missing in this book for me.

Hermit might have had the best humor and morally grey mystery about him, but Arol was the one with the most fleshed out back story. (Again I didn't finish the story so maybe we learn more about Hermit later on.) I just find it odd. I also would have preferred to have known what Hermit looked like at the same level of detail that was put into N'Halia and the others. I never knew if he was bald or what color his eyes were. Anytime I had to picture him in my mind his place was taken up by a swirl of confused mist under a cape with his staff.

The way the magic element was written into the book was done really well and fascinating. Being shown, not told how it worked through N'Halia's journey of learning to control her lighting was incredible. I also marveled at Hermit's shadows. The description of them and how they worked was perfect. I too could see the stories he wove through the smoky shadow creatures.

There was some moments of this book that made me laugh while waiting to grab my dinner take out or chilling in a coffee shop. The Shadow Spinner is perfect for on the go people looking for a light read that can be bookmarked and picked back up easily. I could see this being a really good audiobook as well.

I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The storyline was extremely unique. It's always refreshing when you come across books that are different. Sometimes stories can feel like you have read them before. Great start to the series

4/5 stars! This was the first book I've read by author Eric Kao. The premise of this fantasy novel was interesting and it is the first in a series, which is always exciting. It felt like the magic system was kind of similar to the structure in Divergent with people's abilities putting them into supporting roles in society. This was a unique and interesting take on fantasy in a new world and I enjoyed it. My only concern is that the shifting POVs got confusing at times. Looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Thoroughly enjoyed this read and highly recommend it for young readers interested in exploring new fictional stories

The Shadow Spinner
By Eric Kao
I enjoyed this fantasy tale of a small group of people and a legend. It's a plot style that is over used but everyone tries to make it their own. I liked the twist of a shadow spinner. A shadow spinner is someone that goes town to town and shows people what happened somewhere else by using shadows like a play instead of a bard singing stories.
There is a lot of fight scenes and practice scenes because one girl is training to be a fighter. I really think the fight scenes, or practice scenes, could have been reduced.
I liked the clever dialogue. It had me giggling at times.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book!

A good overall premise. I was however expecting a more Shadow and Bone vibe.
Unfortunately i found this book difficult to read. It took me several attempts to even get half way. In the end i did manage to finish it. I was just unban-blue to connect to the characters.

Eric Kao’s The Shadow Spinner is the first book in what I imagine will be a fantasy epic saga. It was incredibly engaging and entertaining, I laughed out loud countless times. Great found family, magic, and a quest to save the world. The dialogue was a bit confusing at times deciphering who was speaking. But overall, solid debut work, I look forward to seeing where Kao’s career takes him.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this so much! I was entrantsed by this and I can't wait for more!
I just reviewed The Shadow Spinner by Eric Kao. #TheShadowSpinner #NetGalley
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The Shadow Spinner, by Eric Kao, was a great fantasy adventure that had me laughing every other page. With characters so bizarre, and decidedly un-typical-hero-like, it was funny to see how they all interacted with each other and the world around them. I loved the Hoops, and found the no-rules competitive sport to be a perfect measuring stick for the characters as they gained more skill and power.
Reading-wise, I sometimes found it hard to distinguish who was speaking or thinking, as the perspective could hop around quite a lot, and you weren't sure where you landed. Some of the sentences could have been lengthened a bit, or just combined with the next, as I found a lot of stopping and starting was a little hard to follow, and it may have helped with the flow a bit, But aside from a few errors (proofreaders can't catch everything!) it was a good read.
I absolutely loved the inclusion of everyone's gift, and how they could be so widely applied to so many different areas and careers. It gave a great feel of believe-ability, and I loved the diversity. Wasn't a huge fan of the demons who would eventually posses humans, though. That's... not very cool.
I did find it really interesting how almost every action had an initial capitalisation, as if to denote it could be the product of a gift or power, not just a normal action, though. What a great stylistic tool! Great work!

At first glance, “The Shadow Spinner” sounds like it would be right up my alley. It’s your classic hero’s journey with a spunky heroine in need of lessons from a reluctant mentor. Hermit, the titular shadow spinner, comes across N’Halia, our heroine, in his travels. When he learns of her powers with lightning he takes her under his wing with offers of training and adventure.

While the plot isn’t exactly game changing, my biggest issue is with the writing itself. For me, it fell flat and as a result I wasn’t able to connect with the characters. I also felt that the pacing was a bit off which kept me from wanting to come back and pick the book up time and time again. I think the book could have been better served by instilling a grander sense of adventure.

The overall tone is light and comical so if you find yourself wishing characters in epic fantasy novels wouldn’t take themselves so seriously, this one might be for you.

Thanks to Eric Kao & Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

A standard epic fantasy book, with good and bad, a coming into their own story, with the truth revealed.

A good story & well written, but a little slow at times and felt a little contrived. The story moves too quickly for me to the "onvious choice" being N'halia runs off with Hermit to learn to use a bow staff.

The back story regarding magic was.interesting but for me the magic system seemed lacking & everyone immediately had a "power". from her adoptive father, to the boy who could use fire. It took the special out of the magic for me.

I still enjoyed the book, the characters and the pacing which all got better.as the book went on. I think this could do well as an epic for a slightly younger group.

This story is so beautifully crafted and compelling. The characters are complex and relatable and I found myself deeply engaged in their growth.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book. Below is my honest review.

Hermit is a shadow spinner. He controls shadows and spin stories. During his travels, he meets N’Halia at the inn where she lives and works with her foster father. After a horrible incident, the inn burns down and only Hermit and N’Halia survive. Until that night, N’Halia didn’t know her magic can actually spark lightning. So, N’Halia leaves her home town with Hermit. What else can she do and where can she go?

This is a pretty standard first book in an epic fantasy. There is a grumpy character who trains the young hero, a villain/evil group (spoilers, so not specifying), training montages, practice fights, revelations about what is really going on, and a found family who set off to save the world.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and you wanted to root for their success. I appreciated that there were some lighter scenes and funny scenes. It wasn’t all end of the world doom and gloom. There were a bit too many fight scenes for my taste, though.