All the Magic in the World

It's Monday, and since the clocks changed here last weekend, I was all bright-eyed and busy-tailed this morning. Now... not so much. Still, it's Hallowe'en and I may rouse myself to buy a cupcake in celebration. One needs one's sweets!

This week, I'll be busy putting the finishing touches on Build a Man before sending it out to reviewers next week. Yay! I've already imposed on many of you, but if you or your nearest and dearest would like an e-copy in any format that suits for review, just let me know in the comments or drop me an email (talliroland AT gmail.com). I know how busy everyone is, so any help is ever so greatly appreciated.

Right, now on to today's post! In honour of Elizabeth Mueller’s release of her debut novel Darkspell, I’m supposed to finish the phrase ‘If I had all the magic in the world, I’d…’


Well, hmm. First of all, who'd want all the magic in the world? Can you imagine the responsibility? How many people would be bugging you, all the time? It would be a nightmare. But for the purposes of the question -- and ending poverty and such aside -- I'd give everyone a Kindle and fill it with all their favourite reads. Why? Because in my humble opinion, lots of people are too quick to dismiss e-readers without really giving them a try. Don't get me wrong; I do like paper books. But I also love my Kindle as a fast, convenient and cheap way of reading. I've bought and read more books this year than ever before, and I suspect many other e-book readers are the same. 


Advert over! Just call me the benevolent Kindle Fairy Godmistress. 


What about you? What would you do with magical powers?

Review from YA Book Babes:

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary…until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.  As seer of the Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her.  Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.

Darkspell doesn’t fit into a typical YA genre box.  As a matter of fact, it’s one of the most original books I’ve read this year.  A richly woven drama unfolds as young Winter Sky meets two handsome and mysterious neighbors, both fighting for affection. 

But one boy, the boy of her dreams—literally—has already won her heart.  But in short order her life is turned upside down as she enters the Stormhold world, a coven of magic users (I’m hesitant to use the world witch/wizard here.  This is really something very different) where she is being hunted by the Shadoweaer.  Suddenly everything is in jeopardy as she searches for her gift and fights to keep the boy she loves.

Elizabeth Mueller gives a great story, full of normal teen angst without tipping the scales to be annoying, she keeps us guessing, dropping nuggets for us throughout the story, but never tipping her hand.  Combine that with the fantastic use of illustrations that give it almost a graphic novel feel as we read, and this is easily a five star read.  I can’t wait to pick this up in paperback and you should too!  Mueller is a great addition to the YA world and I can’t wait to see what comes next from this talented writer!