The second book in Alma Alexander’s Worldweavers trilogy is a whole bunch of things: funny, witty, mysterious, other-worldly, strange, and most importantly, awesome.
Alas, Alma did not get particularly lucky when it came to the cover design, but don’t let that turn you off. I mean, it almost turned me off. Because I got her books and was like, “OMG. This must be some seriously goofy genre sci fi/fantasy nonsense.”
But then I read the first book in this trilogy, Gift of the Unmage, and was drawn in by Alma’s tale of Galathea (Thea) Winthrop, a teenager who lives in a world where it seems everyone has magic powers — except for her. Thea is under a lot of pressure, too, because she is the seventh child of two seventh children. This apparently means she’s supposed to be super-powerful, but when we meet her at the beginning of book one, it seems she hasn’t got an iota of magical talent.
First things first: You can not read Spellspam until you’ve read Gift of the Unmage, which is a good book, a fast read, and also very reminiscent of some of Madeleine L’Engle’s lesser known books. (Specifically, it’s kind of like a few of the companion books to A Wrinkle in Time, but I won’t say which ones because I don’t want to spoil anything for you. And because I can never keep those books straight. A Wind in the Planet? A Swiftly Tilting Door?)
Now, as for Spellspam, it’s just unique. Concept: Magical spam. Not the canned meat product, but the unwanted e-mail. You read the e-mail, and next thing you know you’re under a spell. Some of the spells are hilarious, some are horrid, but the whole book is yummy.
I can’t say anything more! I just can’t, or I’ll wind up giving away details of the first book, of which you may not be aware. Indeed, I don’t want to talk about this trilogy at all. I just want you to read it. And then maybe we can talk.
With that, my friends, I must announce that I am taking a one-week vacation and will not be updating YA New York until next Friday. So sorry to tell you at the last minute, but other duties call, and even bloggers must take summer vacations, you know.
So please. Take the next week to read some of the many books recommended here, and I’ll see you soon, yeah?
Much love,
brina
Edit: I’m having so much fun on my blog-cation — having now read every single book in the house, I swear — that I’m extending it until Monday, when I will proudly present an interview with Kimberly Pauley, founder of YA Books Central and author of the soon-to-be-released Sucks to Be Me. I’ll tell you more on Monday. For now, enjoy the weekend, dear readers!
Ah, the judge-a-book-by-it’s-cover syndrome. Everyone says they don’t do it, but we all totally do. And, sadly, miss out on some awesome books because of lame covers.
The only reason I’ve read anything by Kai Meyer (who is awesome and an amazing author of fexcellent books) is because I read them when they first came out with awesome covers, and not the newer covers, which I hate. (Seriously, why couldn’t they stick with the first designs?)
And then there’s books I totally avoid because of the covers until someone reccomends them…like Golden, which I’d assumed was some kind of GossipClique affiliate.
One of these days I think I’ll figure out those people always talking about judging are right.
I just want to know what “designer” thought that cover looked good! It just makes me laugh.
We’ll miss you while you are having your break! But we will be reading! I’m all geared up for Violet In Private’s release, the first two were amazing. We need to launch some sort of campaign for a book #4!
My reading choices are greatly affected by the covers of books. Whenever I pass the trio of OR Melling’s books in the library (Hunter’s Moon, Summer King, and… something else) I have to be like “Ok, Medeia, you’ve tried this before. They are COMPLETELY BORING.” and then that other part of me goes “but the covers are so shiiiiiny”
It would be amazing if all awesome books had awesome covers and vice versa. *sigh* ‘twould make picking books so much easier.