Thankyou to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The Spellworker, the first book in Victoria Lamb’s new YA Fantasy series.
The Spellworker
Book One in a rich and suspenseful YA fantasy adventure series, from the author of the award-winning WITCHSTRUCK. Perfect for fans of Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo.
Princess Fiamma is the girl with the serpent tattoos, born to guard the Book of Tongues, a magical text nobody living knows how to read.
Raised in royal privilege, it’s a shock when the Citadel comes under attack and Fiamma is forced to flee in disguise with the Book of Tongues. Her only companion is Hurth, a handsome but surly soldier who doesn’t bother to hide his contempt for a ‘spoilt princess’.
A time when reading is forbidden, and books are dangerous
Fiamma may be spoilt but she knows her duty. She must not allow the Book to fall into the evil hands of the Spellworker, whose powerful magic can kill with a single word.
A perilous journey through occupied territories
Together, she and Hurth must search for a mysterious place where the Book has always been taken in times of danger. But worse than Hurth’s disdain and the hardships of the journey are her own deepest fears about the Book, which has started whispering to her in the night, teaching her how to read it …
Is the Book turning her into a Spellworker too?
As she faces her destiny, and learns the true meaning of the serpent tattoos she bears, Fiamma has to decide how far she’ll go to protect the Book’s secrets.
A compelling tale of Good versus Evil in a world where what you see is definitely not what you get.
Purchase Links
My thoughts:
The Spellworker is a very promising start to a new gripping fantasy series Book Of Tongues. The book has it all- starting from an absolutely gorgeous cover, a feisty heroine who obviously has a lot to learn about life and life hardships, an interesting world with a mysterious, ancient book that has to be protected at all costs, and an epic journey.
Princess Fiamma recently lost her father and is now the Last of the Guardians of the Book of Tongues, her people’s secret text. Unfortunately, the language it was written in hasn’t been spoken for five generations,so whatever knowledge he book conceals, it isn’t likely to be immediately useful in the battle against the Norda. The Citadel which has been a home for Fiamma’s people for centuries, is about to fall, not least thanks to the intervention of a strange man who appears to chant incantations. The Council fears he might be a Spellworker, so Fiamma’s advisors insist that it is her duty to take the book to the mythical Isles of Weralph, a place that may ony exist in songs and legends ofher people, so that the book doesn’t fall into wrong hands. Fiamma will stand a much better chance of saving this ancient source of wisdom if she travels accompanied by one person only- the councilmembers chose a sixteen year old boy Hurth, a quiet, surly warrior, who doesn’t particularly like Fiamma.
Victoria Lamb’s writing style is both beautiful and easy to follow. I was gripped by the mystery straight from the beginning. As promised by the blurb, the journey Fiamma and Hurth undertake is indeed full of dangerous adventures and it’s obvious that despite their mutual dislike they have to cooperate in order to do their duty. Once the Book of Tongues starts talking to Fiamma, teaching her how to read it, the ancient magic may be within her reach, but it’s not all that simple and straightforward.
When we first meet Fiamma, it is clear her privileged background made this intelligent girl quite stubborn (you can call it determined, if you prefer) and taught her to take a lot of things for granted. She needs to learn a lot about real life to become a better personandabetter future leader. Luckily, she has Hurth to share the journey with. They both learn to trust each other and whoknows their friendship may turn into something more in future.
Can’t wait to read the continuation of this exciting series!
Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest answer.
Author Bio
– Historical and YA paranormal author of the RNA award-winning novel WITCHSTRUCK, Victoria Lamb is addicted to the supernatural, and on dark nights has been known to sneak out and howl at the moon. She also writes thrillers as Jane Holland, and other fiction as Betty Walker, Elizabeth Moss and Beth Good, among others. Victoria’s most recent novel is THE SPELLWORKER, first in a fab new YA epic fantasy series called THE BOOK OF TONGUES.
Social Media Links –
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/VictoriaLamb1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Victoria-Lamb-Author-101018681763204
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