The Story Raider: Review + Realm Makers Launch Party

I’m here with my review for this book, but first I want to share a little about attending the launch party for The Story Raider at the 2019 Realm Makers writers conference! (And of course some pictures. ;))

So, the weekend before the book released, I was at Realm Makers and there was a launch party and I was so excited to get to attend! The rooms where the party was held were so packed that it was actually really hard to see/hear what was going on for a long time. XD But it was still super fun!

Some pictures I took at the launch party!

Edging past people through doorways and hearing choruses of laughter, so much hanging out and chatting with friends, and tasting delicious donuts! Eventually most people trickled out so that there was enough room for me to get closer and hear Lindsay reading part of the story aloud, and there was a fun guessing-game about whether lines were from the Marvel universe or the Weaver universe. XD

I also won an amazing Corsyth candle in a raffle, which made my day!

And I got my book signed by Lindsay (who is just the SWEETEST HUMAN).

And yeah. It was a really fun night. ^_^

(Also, I feel slightly pleased that I “get” the tea and kittens joke in the acknowledgments of the book, because I heard a story about it from Steve Laube at the costume night during the conference. XD)

Anyway, it was a lovely experience (as was the rest of Realm Makers)!

On to the review!

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Title: The Story Raider (The Weaver Trilogy, #2)

Author: Lindsay A. Franklin

• Date read: August 12, 2019
• Rating: 4 stars
• Genre: Fantasy
• Age: YA (on the darker side)
• Year pub: 2019
• Pages: 358 (paperback)
• Series: The Weaver Trilogy, #2 (Book 1: The Story Peddler)
• Fave character: Mor and Kharn. 😀
• Source: Advance Reader Copy ebook from the author, and paperback I bought at Realm Makers 2019.
• Notes: This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.
• Links: Goodreads • Amazon • Author’s Website

 

Ten Thoughts on The Story Raider

That was a wild ride! I feel like this book is better than the first one but at the same time this one had more plot things that I was . . . less than pleased about? XD So I’m just a little mixed on it.

But I definitely enjoyed reading it, and I need the next book yesterday because CLIFFHANGER. *dies* I can’t wait to find out what happens!

It’s going to be sooo hard to review this without spoilers but I’ll give it a shot.

The Awesome

• It was definitely a really good book. It was so well written, and gorgeous and exciting and (usually) fun and epic. It kind of felt like a movie and really pulled me along. And there were some awesome twists that got me really excited! 😀 Overall, despite having some quibbles (which I’ll get into later) it was a really enjoyable read!
• THE SETTING. It. Was. Absolutely. Breathtaking. I loved getting to see all the different places they sailed to! And all of the different cultures and peoples and scenery and lands. This world is so gorgeous and vivid—and so are the story weaving parts! *flails around* SO PRETTY. I always love the story parts. There was so much epicness going down and it’s just so visual and stunning, both in setting and with all the weaving scenes. (Like the scene in the white-blossomed grove. You know what I’m talking about.)
• There’s just so much going ON in this book. I was super impressed at how everything managed to weave together (no pun intended) and fit in this fairly ordinary-sized book when it had such sweeping scales of epic things going down all over the place. It was tight and well-paced, I guess is what I’m trying to say, and had a lot going on which made it super exciting!
• The banter and snatches of humor made me so happy! That added a lot of fun and is one of the reasons I had such a good time reading it. I also love many of the characters (even if they frustrate me sometimes. XD) and loved getting to continue reading their story! And we got new characters too, which was awesome, and I’m really liking them. Basically, hanging out with these people mostly made me really happy. ^_^
• Also, I love Braith! Her chapters and the “feel” of them were some of my absolute favorites! I actually kind of wish the whole book was about her and a certain new character who showed up halfway and did plot-twist things to my mind. XD (A new favorite! :O Joining Mor. Cool, now I have too favorites. XD) I would read a whole book about Braith and her problems at the palace and this spoiler person, please and thank you. 😀 Seriously.

The Less-Than-Awesome (For Me)

(Please note that everything in this category is subjective and totally a “me” thing! I’m not saying it’s a bad book, at all, just that these things were less enjoyable for me, personally—but they might be another reader’s favorites! :))

• Love triangles. Not my thing and kind of frustrating. 😛 In a way it’s better than in the first book, and in a way . . . really not. XD
• Darker, sad stories—also not my favorite. I appreciate that tackling tougher subjects is important in fiction, and I know characters die, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it getting really sad, especially in the second half. (*cue Theoden voice-over* “So much death . . .”) Related, I know spending time with the villains’ POV to see what’s going on is important but I wish we didn’t have to so much because ugh. 😛
• Sometimes things confused me, especially not really knowing what different weaver powers could or couldn’t do. Maybe it’s just the usual nothing-is-explained (especially not magic systems) in fiction these days. Or maybe (entirely possible) it’s the fact that I read the first book over a year ago and forgot details and characters and plot points. 😛
• Mixed feelings about some of the characters, and how some of them did idiotic things. XD Everything about Brac’s plot—meh. I didn’t really care for him in the first place, but REALLY? And I love Mor but I don’t know if I toootally ship him with Tanwen because I dunno if she deserves him. 😛 Sometimes I love Tannie and other times she’s irrational and self-centered and felt fourteen and kinda frustrated me. XD (At this point I’m mostly shipping side characters, because YES. There are two side ships I absolutely love. :D)
• There were just a lot of turns that things took in the plot that I wasn’t enthused about. Some are covered above and some are spoilers, but anyway. I’m curious how things will finish up in the final book, though!

Conclusion

It’s a good book, just with some things that I personally didn’t love, but I still really enjoyed reading it and it was GORGEOUS. And Braith etc.! And that world! And the fun banter! Plus, that cliffhanger! I’m anxiously awaiting The Story Hunter! I need it! What’s going to happennnn?

(Note: I received a free e-ARC from the author, and ended up buying and reading a paperback instead. XD All opinions are my own.)

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A Favorite Quote

“Why does everyone keep trying to feed me today?”

“Because you look sad.”

“And food helps?”

“Aye.” He unwrapped a cake and popped it in his mouth. “It does when the food tastes like this.”

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Whew! Have you read this one yet? Thanks for reading! 🙂

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