Spellweaver by Tamara Grantham
Crimson Tree Publishing © 2015
Kindle Edition
Fantasy
Reviewed by Leah
Okay, first of all: let the drooling commence over that absolutely gorgeous cover! It is a worthy successor to the cover of Dreamthief.
Summary:
As if Olive Kennedy didn't have enough problems, now she is required to save Faythander. Again. From goblins. Again. So much for the peaceful fairy world of her childhood.
Tracking goblins would have been easier if Olive wasn't surrounded by a bunch of Wult warriors, she imagined. Yet, she stuck with them for one Wult in particular: Kull. Having proven himself a remarkably lucky companion during her Dreamthief escapades, Olive has committed herself to helping track the goblins in order to rescue Kull's sister. Except, his sister is in love with the goblin leader, Geth, who is on a mission to destroy magic in Faythander.
When Geth succeeds in destroying the Everblossom–a tree containing the last vestiges of pure magic in either world–it is Olive's job to restore the magic to the fairy realm, or watch every magical creature die a slow and painful death. A point that is driven home the moment she returns to the dragons and seeks her stepfather's advice and finds the Sky King in mortal peril.
Relying more heavily on her Earth Kingdom magic, Olive must locate the Everblossom's last bloom and find where it belongs before all of Faythander's magic is extinguished. Each step of the way, she fights against Geth's interference, and a few personal obstacles that involve a boyfriend that needs to be slapped with an 'ex' label, and a mother whose mind is clearing by the day now that the spells on her memories are losing their hold.
Perhaps worst of all, however, is the decree that the Wult King has made: that Kull and Olive can never be. For the Wult Prince's marriage must have political significance, and he does not consider Olive worthy. And she can't decide if it is better or worse that Kull is eager to discount threats of his inheritance in order to be with Olive.
Being a savior is a tough gig.
Initial Thoughts:
I love Olive. Kull is hilarious. The plot is never ridiculous or tests my patience. And the writing is superb. This is a series I very much want more of.
Characters:
Olive Kennedy is a desperate woman who doesn't get paid enough to do what she does. After saving Faythander once before from the threat of the return of the Goddess Theht, she was kind of hoping for some down time. That didn't happen. A simple rescue mission turns into another save the world escapade. And does she flinch from that responsibility? Hell no! This woman rolls her shoulders back, gives a sigh that sounds like a muttered 'not this shit again,' and does her job.
She's snarky and realistic. My love for Olive is unnatural and a bit pathetic. But it's true: I am in love with Olive's character as a whole. This is one woman you can count on to do the right thing, no matter the cost. And sometimes the costs are high, but she does what she needs to anyway. I really love this aspect to her.
Kull is still his cocky, arrogant, brash, bold self, and damn is it a treat reading about him. Loyal to the point of stupidity, sometimes, while pushing boundaries he shouldn't at others, Kull is a warrior through and through. Most compelling is his passion when on a mission. He has no qualms about charging into danger because danger is where the fun is at. And his luck often works to counteract Olive's ability to court catastrophe. They're a perfect pair.
Again, other characters could be discussed at length, but when you have these two, there's really no need. This is a 'you'll have to read it to understand … so go read it already!' kind of deal.
Plot & Setting:
Magical fairy realm mixed with a little Texan flare. That's our setting, as Olive moves between the worlds and gives us a very detailed explanation of just what the hell is going on. It's neither overdone to the point you choke on the details, but nor is it a blank canvas that you have to provide all the details for. A perfect balance, in my opinion.
As far as the plot… How do I describe this without spoilers? This is difficult…
Okay, so the plot is packed with a lot of questions, sporadic answers which induce more questions, and a double dosage of 'don't trust anyone.' There's intrigue and life-threatening adventure. Each step makes sense and each plot point drives home the reality of their situation should the magic not be restored. It's fast-paced and addictive. And I loved every minute of it.
Writing Style:
If you're not sick of this word yet, I'm going to make you sick of it, because I LOVED the narration and storytelling ability put into this book. Olive's voice is engaging and serves to cement her character in your mind. The mark of a damn good writer, in my opinion. Again, this book was as fun as its predecessor, without losing any of the seriousness that the situation calls for. At times it was also just plain heartbreaking.
My biggest compliment to this author is her ability to create separate story lines for each novel, while maintaining that single strand of 'underlying cause' that connects the books. To me, this is how every series should be, though I know they are often not. I truly enjoy books that seem as if they are a standalone, when really you're given the opportunity to continue the journey with these characters. Which is why this is easily becoming one of my favorite series to date.
Overall Opinion:
I loved it. Do I really need to say more?
