spellweaver | redpillows

This is the second book in the Spellweaver Chronicles. This book is extremely special as I have had the honor of providing feedback to Claire as she wrote the book. I am grateful to her for giving me this opportunity and a special mention in the book was the icing on the cake!

About the book:

It’s tough when you’ve just found out that the weight of not one world but two is hanging on your shoulders.

This is the life of Felicity Lucas.

Her mother was the Spellweaver, the most powerful magic user of both worlds. Now that she’s gone, the title and the power have passed to her only daughter, a fourteen-year-old student at Greenfields High School. She has no choice but to learn the skills that her mother had, to weave magic like she did; she has to keep the mysterious ‘others’ at bay and stop a strange group of cultists bent on bringing down the sun.

All of this – and she has exams coming up.

At least she has her two best friends at her side and things seem to be getting better with her dad.

But still, when an old foe makes his return and the school bully won’t leave her alone, Felicity soon starts to realise the limits to her new found power – as well as its consequences.

My Thoughts:

A thrilling sequel to the first part, this story will take the reader on a fantasy rollercoaster. The author dives deeper into the plot bringing in a lot of twists and some interesting new ideas. As the story progresses we see that Felicity has accepted her new found identity, that of being the spellweaver and is working on improving her skills. Her teacher Mr. Oakley works with Felicity teaching her how to control her powers and use them. The most appealing thing about this story are Felicity’s friends and the faith they have in her. They stand by her side through all the things she faces and are her strength throughout.

With Oliver’s return in this story we are left wondering whether he is a friend or a foe in spite of his previous actions. Felicity is forced to work with Oliver for a while to save Earth and her magic skills are tested to the maximum. Friendship and loyalties are also put to test as a result of the various decisions each character has to take.The plot of the second book revolves largely around saving the Earth and restoring the Sun to its place in the universe.

Claire’s talent for crafting such a wonderful story is evident in this sequel. The author uses simple language and a whole lot of creativity. It takes great skill to create a world of magic and Claire pulls it off brilliantly. This is worth a read for all those who love the genre and who enjoyed reading Harry Potter and other such books. Fans of the first book are in for a treat in the second. By the time you finish reading this book, you cannot wait to read the next.

Book One of the Spellweaver Chronicles:

Spellweaver (The Spellweaver Chronicles, #1)

Synopsis:

Felicity Lucas never really knew her mother. Even though they had lived together for all the fourteen years that Felicity had been alive, they had barely even had a meaningful conversation. It was a relationship that was far from perfect.

So when her mother dies in a car crash and Felicity is sent to live with her estranged father in a deprived London borough, she is determined to move on. It isn’t easy – content with her solitude, she’s never had friends before, but the most popular girl in her new school won’t leave her alone and she’s forced to attend counselling. To make things worse, it’s obvious that her father doesn’t want her around.

It is only after she discovers a book of spells and is attacked by a strange boy who can conjure flames in his hands that she starts to realise that her mother was far more than what she seemed. She had a great many secrets, secrets that promise to thrust Felicity into a terrifying world of magic and straight into the path of beings who are determined to destroy her…

My thoughts:

This book is like a breath of fresh air. The book is well written and crafted with a skill I can’t help but admire. It has been a while since I read a book in this genre that actually held my attention until the end. The book had me turning the pages yearning for more.

Felicity’s character is well thought out and for the heroine, she may come across as shy or timid/ a loner, but we are shown a glimpse of the strength that lies beneath. Her behavior is justified as she has never experienced a normal life the way her new friends have.

Holly’s character is quite interesting. Though she is extremely popular and social, she’s well meaning and a real good person. This is a wonderful change from the usual popular girls whose only ambition is to make other people’s lives miserable. Her equation with her twin, Jamie, a complete nerd, is fascinating especially as the two are polar opposites.

The story so far, as this is just the first book in the series, is interesting, it will keep you hooked till the end and when you put the book down it will be with the urge to know more. For a first time novel, Claire has done a wonderful job, keeping the language simple and sticking to the plot beautifully!

The various twists and turns and each characters’ reaction is covered delicately with a huge focus to detail. It takes a great deal to create a whole new world where magic is involved and so far I think she has nailed it.