The very first amazing book we’re showcasing came to us from self-published author Stephanie Flint. Magic’s Stealing is the first novella in her YA Fantasy series, “The Wishing Blade.” What struck me most about this book was Ms. Flint’s attention to detail. Her excellent world-building introduces the history, atmosphere and politics, and I was able to immerse myself fully in the story without confusion. Like the whimsical magic ribbons the characters wield, the backstory was weaved in lightly and effortlessly. The settings are fully fleshed out and the characters have three-dimensional personalities. Also, the cover art is high quality and the chapter headings in the print edition are equally cool (the page turns from dark to light with an aurora lights-style illustration at the top).
So, on to the story itself. In the first chapter, we’re introduced to the two main characters, Toranih and Daernan. The first is a teenage girl, the latter a teenage boy. Now, let me pause here for a moment. Teen girl plus teen boy does not always equal romance. And in this book that’s definitely the case. The story is pure fantasy with zero romantic drama. No handholding, no kissing, and no gazing into each other’s eyes. And you know what? That’s alright with me. The plot has enough going on, it doesn’t need to be complicated with the typical love triangles you see in YAs. This may change as the series develops, but for now, they’re just friends.
Toranih comes from a noble family who practices ribbon magic, but she prefers to wield weapons. Not everyone in this world can practice (or see) magic. They all know it exists, but about half are ordinary people and the other half are mages. Daernan is an expert at using ribbon magic and often shapeshifts. Over the course of the book he shifts into an owl, a dog, and a horse, which is pretty neat. Ruling over this world are levels of Gods similar to Greek Gods but with different names and they interact with the mortals in times of need. I won’t go into too much detail about the plot because I don’t want to give anything away, but by the title you can at least guess that at some point, the magic in the land is stolen and Toranih and Daernan are put in a position where they need to get it back. Here is the back cover blurb:
For centuries, ribbons of magic have provided the kingdom of Cirena with light, healing, and protection. Then, in a span of minutes, those ribbons fly from their masters, stolen, save for the magic of a few chosen mages. One of these mages is Toranih, a young noblewoman who would rather have a sword in her hand than use her powers to heal or throw fireballs. As a result, her magic skills are lacking. But with former mages dying from magic withdrawal, and the looming threat of an army of shadows who are impervious to mortal weapons, she must either embrace the responsibilities of a mage or watch her home perish.
This book has a wonderful balance of dialogue, planning, and fight scenes as one would expect in a quest story such as this. It’s a fast read and there’s a fair amount of mystery to keep your interest piqued. One warning though. The ending isn’t exactly satisfying because remember this is the first book in a series. If you want to find out what happens next you’ll just have to wait for Book 2, The Shadow War. No need to pout though. In stalking Ms. Flint’s site, I happened to see she has a sister short story set in this world that just came out called Stone and String.
If you’d like to purchase Magic’s Stealing, you can find it at these locations:
Happy reading!
-Reviewed by Julie LaVoie
AMAZING BOOKS 